Cotsen Textile Traces Student Colloquium

Discover the world in a fragment: Students present research on fragments that intrigue them from the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection. 
The Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center is organizing a one-day colloquium, which will feature the scholarship of students from:

• George Washington University (art history, decorative art and design history, classical and Near Eastern languages and civilizations)
• American University, Washington D.C. (history)
• University of California, Los Angeles (art history)
• Arc School of Conservation-Restoration, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland

The inaugural Cotsen Textile Traces Student Colloquium seeks to encourage textile research, facilitate critical discussion and support the next generation of scholars, curators and conservators. Students will present their research on one object from the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection. They will be introduced by their professors, who will also moderate a Q&A discussion.

Keep reading to see the list of panels and speakers, or download the complete program (PDF).

About the Center and Collection

The Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center opened at the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum in fall 2020. It is dedicated to textile research and houses the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection, which represents a lifetime of collecting by business leader and philanthropist Lloyd Cotsen (1929-2017). Comprised of nearly 4,000 fragments from all over the world, the collection offers insights into human creativity from antiquity to the present.

Colloquium Program
(All times in EDT)

10-10:15 a.m.
Introduction
John Wetenhall, director, George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum
Marie-Eve Celio-Scheurer, academic coordinator, Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center

Panel 1: 10:15-11:15 a.m.
European Textiles: Late 19th to Early 20th Century
Moderated by Marie-Eve Celio-Scheurer, as guest professor of art history, Arc School of Conservation-Restoration, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland

Zoé Meyer de Stadelhofen, B.A. candidate, Arc School of Conservation-Restoration, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
Marie-Amélie Coyot, B.A. candidate, Arc School of Conservation-Restoration, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
Léa Girardin, B.A. candidate, Arc School of Conservation-Restoration, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland

Panel 2: 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Euro-American Textiles: 17th to 20th Century
Moderated by Cecilia Gunzburger, adjunct professorial lecturer, decorative arts and design history, George Washington University

Mun Kim, M.A. candidate, decorative arts and design history, George Washington University
Erin Russell, Ph.D. student, history, American University, Washington D.C.

Panel 3: 12-12:30 p.m.
Byzantine Textiles
Moderated by Sharon Gerstel, professor of Byzantine art and archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles

Sofia Pitouli, M.A./Ph.D. candidate, art history, University of California, Los Angeles

Break: 12:30-1 p.m.

Panel 4: 1-1:45 p.m.
“Coptic” Textiles
Moderated by Elise Friedland, associate professor of classics and art history, George Washington University

Shadow Curley, B.A. candidate, classical and ancient Near Eastern studies, George Washington University
Alexis Allen, B.A. candidate, archaeology and classical studies, George Washington University

Panel 5: 1:45-2:45 p.m.
South Asian Textiles
Moderated by Cristin McKnight Sethi, assistant professor of art history, George Washington University

Emma Veon, B.A./M.A. candidate, art history, George Washington University
Catherine Gille, B.A. candidate, art history, creative writing and English, George Washington University
Jessica Layton, B.A./M.A. candidate, art history, George Washington University

2:45-3 p.m.
Closing Conversation
Moderated by Sumru Belger Krody, senior curator, George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, and Marie-Eve Celio-Scheurer

How to Participate

To join us for the colloquium, please register early to reserve your space. Once you have registered, we will email you the link for the colloquium on Zoom. We will also email registered participants a full program with the detailed schedule, abstracts and bios.