The Fabric of Femininity
In a celebration of International Women’s Day, the Fabric of Femininity exhibition focuses on women from several countries engaged in the art of sustainable textile production: including woven textiles from India, Thailand, France, Turkey, and many others. The stories of these makers is charted through the exhibition with photography, clothing displays, and an interactive loom with various local yarns set up for visitors to contribute to weaving a tapestry.
About the Students
Kyra Zapf is a current Mlitt student in the Dress and Textile History Program at the University of Glasgow. A recipient of the Thomas J Watson Fellowship in 2021 she has studied the textile traditions of more than 15 countries in the past two years. An avid creator, she started costuming long before she was old enough to hold a needle. Plays she has worked on include Antigone, Life is a Dream, Mack the Knife, Into the Woods and many more and it is her passion to one day costume the musical Six. Kyra spends her summers teaching needlework at the Handwork Studio and is keen to foster a new generation of costume enthusiasts. She is currently a sustainability grantee with Scottish Youth Arts. The exhibit includes pieces woven by her and other women around the world.
I am Xiaohan Gao, currently pursuing an MSc in Creative Industries and Cultural Policy at the University of Glasgow, with a keen interest in cross-cultural studies, the management and curation of cultural institutions. I am committed to focusing on the stories of women in everyday life, showcasing their unique strength and resilience. I am thrilled to have participated in the school's International Women's Day activities and am particularly looking forward to collaborating with Kyra on the "Fabric of Femininity" exhibition. This project not only closely aligns with my research interests but also provides a platform to showcase the power of women and their creative expressions. I believe that through such collaboration, we can delve deeper into the diversity of women and their significant roles and contributions to society.