Saturday 8 January - Sunday 20 February 2011

'Plain, Stripe, Check' is a collaborative exhibition project in two parts: Contemporary hand-woven textiles by the originators Tim Parry-Williams (Stroud, UK) and Ikuko Ida (Kiryu, Japan); and historical woven textiles selected from museum and private collections in Britain and Japan.

Tim Parry-Williams, 'OPERA' wraps, Raw silk

It represents the results of historical research across both Japanese and British sources, and practice based research (making) under the project theme. While the exhibition showcases numerous examples of museum textiles rarely seen, the collected works also reveal groups of design trends typical to both cultures. In particular it emphasises the key character values of the research theme: Timelessness, visual strength, understatement and simplicity.

The exhibition at The Museum in the Park includes textiles on loan from the Crafts Study Centre and The National Wool Museum and un-exhibited textiles from Stroud District (Cowle) Museum Collections. The exhibition also includes unique historical sample books from Japan, as well as digital displays of archive textile objects from Britain and Japan. Accompanied by special events and family activities and museum trails for families and school groups.

Ikuko Ida, 'KIMONO FABRIC (Striped)', Silk

• Open Tuesday to Friday 10am - 4pm
• Open Saturday & Sunday 11am - 4pm
• Admission free.
• Accompanied by an exhibition booklet which costs £4 (£3 for students).
• Photographs by Takao Oya, Japan

Special events and family activities

PDF Details of Special Events and Family Activities

Competitions

The artists ran a competition as part of the exhibition which closed on the 14th January 2011.

Exhibition Background

The exhibition is part of an ongoing tour, which began at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, Tokyo, in September 2007, followed by the Crafts Study Centre, Farnham, in 2010. Prospective tour venues are located in the British Isles, Continental Europe and North America, before returning to Japan in an expanded form. Each exhibition will showcase different work, drawing particularly on the local historical archive, with the elements of the contemporary work reflecting that specific archive. In Stroud, once a leading centre for the production of high quality woollen cloth, look out for subtle red stripes which echo the famous 'Stroudwater Scarlet', once used for soldiers' uniforms and prized and traded across the globe.

PDF Plain Stripe Check Background

Artists' Statement

PDF Tim Parry-Williams Artist's Statement

PDF Ikuko Ida Artist's Statement

External Links and Further Information

www.csc.ucreative.ac.uk - Crafts Study Centre

www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/wool/ - National Wool Museum National Museum of Wales

www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/index.html - V&A Museum Textile Collections

www.mingeikan.or.jp/english/ - Japan Folk Crafts Museum

www.stroudinternationaltextiles.org.uk/ - Stroud International Textiles

www.stroud-textile.org.uk/ - Stroudwater Textile Trust

www.digitalstroud.co.uk/working.php?pageid=686&topid=4 - Wrapping the Globe Presentation on Stroud & South West Trade Cloth