SEATTLE – The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) presents Ikat: A World of Compelling Cloth (March 9–May 29, 2023), an immersive exploration of the complex textile created in regions around the globe. Organized by SAM, Ikat features over 100 textiles made from the 12th century to the present, drawn from the museum’s collection and gifts and loans from the Seattle-based Collection of David and Marita Paly. On view will be kimonos, furnishings, robes, and other cloths from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The exhibition also features a large-scale installation by contemporary artists Roland and Chinami Ricketts that offers the experience of walking into an ikat.
Ikat is known for its jagged or flaming edges that have been adapted in fashion and design in a factory-made, printed form. True ikat is the result of a meticulous and time-honored process of dyeing threads to create handwoven patterns that continues as a living tradition today. The exhibition explores this process as well as the various social significances and symbolic meanings of ikat. As an ancient and contemporary art form, ikat offers a reminder of the power of slow fashion and the sacredness of clothing as art.
Ikat offers several interpretive experiences. “Living labels,” or videos near select works, offer perspectives from experts and community members. A tour available via visitors’ smartphones features multimedia content exploring the exhibition’s textiles. And a portable learning station provides an opportunity for tactile, hands-on experiences with raw weaving materials. Also, SAM Shop will be adjacent to the galleries, with handwoven examples of ikat and other goods created by textile artists available for purchase.
“Ikat embodies a commitment to slow and meaningful creation,” says Pamela McClusky, Oliver E. and Pamela F. Cobb Curator of African and Oceanic Art. “This exhibition is a rare opportunity to see stunning examples of this art form up-close. I’m thrilled to share these works from SAM’s collection and the generous new gifts and loans from the Paly Collection with our visitors; I hope they come away in awe of the artists’ dedication to this intricate process.”
Please see the Seattle Art Museum Press Release for more information.