Critical History of Fiber Art Examines Lausanne Biennale and Exclusions of Arab and African Artists
Jessica Gerschultz's 2016 article advocates for a critical history of 20th-century fiber art, challenging the aesthetic formalism of the Lausanne Biennale in the 1960s and 1970s. It critiques Euro-American institutions for excluding Arab and African textile artists, arguing such omissions obscure tapestry's deeper incongruities related to modernism's unresolved questions. The piece compares artists Magdalena Abakanowicz, Jagoda Buic, and Safia Farhat to reassess New Tapestry networks, myths, and state support systems. Their circulation suggests new pathways for recovering fiber art history and reflecting on modernism broadly. The article is available via MIT Press under subscription-only access.
Key facts
- Article published on 02/05/2016 by Jessica Gerschultz
- Critiques aesthetic formalism at the Lausanne Biennale in the 1960s and 70s
- Highlights exclusion of Arab and African fiber artists by Euro-American institutions
- Examines unresolved modernist issues like artistic identity and state patronage
- Compares artists Magdalena Abakanowicz, Jagoda Buic, and Safia Farhat
- Discusses New Tapestry networks and systems of institutional support
- Available through MIT Press with subscription-only access
- Source URL: https://artmargins.com/mutable-form-and-materiality-toward-a-critical-history-of-new-tapestry-networks
Entities
Artists
- Jessica Gerschultz
- Magdalena Abakanowicz
- Jagoda Buic
- Safia Farhat
Institutions
- ARTMargins Online
- MIT Press
- Lausanne Biennale
Locations
- Lausanne
- Switzerland