Cotsen Textile Traces Talk: Songkets of Silk and Gold
Virtual and In Person, Thursday, October 3, 2024, 1-2 p.m. EDT
“Kain kepala” (detail); Indonesia, Sumatra; 19th century. Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection T-1720. Photo by Bruce M. White Photography.
Inspired by the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center’s October micro exhibition “Songkets of Silk and Gold,” this talk delves into the intricacies of Malaysian “songket” patterns and motifs. Malaysian songket is a traditional decorative weaving technique that combines silk, weft ikat and supplementary weft ornamentation with gold or silver threads. Handwoven by skilled women in the Malay Peninsula and Sarawak, this art form is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.
This program is a collaboration with the Embassy of Malaysia.
About Nirmala Sharipuddin
Nirmala Sharipuddin is senior curator at the National Textile Museum of Malaysia with more than a decade of experience in preserving and presenting cultural heritage. Her journey in the museum field started at the Collections Management Division of the Department of Museums Malaysia, which marked the beginning of her commitment to blending scholarly research with curating exhibitions. Sharipuddin has a passion for history and an unwavering dedication to enriching public understanding through the power of museum storytelling. She has a master's degree in built environment from the Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, International Islamic University Malaysia.
About Micro Exhibitions
Visit the museum’s lower-level galleries to see a rotating selection of objects from the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection. Inspired by contemporary culture and world events, these micro exhibitions are collaborative projects with GW faculty, students and special guests.
About the Center
The Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center is home to one of the world’s most significant textile study collections. Assembled by the late Lloyd Cotsen, it consists of nearly 4,000 fragments of textiles created around the globe and dating from antiquity to the present, as well as some 100 sample books. Scholars, faculty, students and artists are invited to schedule a research visit, and the entire collection is accessible online. The center also presents rotating gallery displays and public programs inspired by the collection. Learn more about the center
How to Participate
This program will be in a hybrid format. Join us in person at the museum or register to watch the livestream online via Zoom. When you register, you can also request to receive a reminder email one day before the program with the link included.