Exhibition Program: Three Centuries of Europe’s “Clouded” Ikat Textiles
By the mid-17th century, ikat textiles were a popular commodity in Europe thanks to trade with Asia. Textile weavers in Western Europe quickly imitated these labor-intensive and expensive fabrics, which were known as “clouded silks” or “clouds” for their blurred appearance. In this talk, Martina D’Amato will explore how textile manufacturers in Europe adopted and adapted warp and weft dyeing to their own local communities and economies, and eventually industrialized the process through printing. This talk will also raise new questions on the various uses of ikats in Europe.
About the Exhibition
Prized worldwide for producing vivid patterns and colors, the ancient resist-dyeing technique of ikat developed independently in communities across Asia, Africa and the Americas, where it continues to inspire artists and designers today. Irresistible: The Global Patterns of Ikat explores the global phenomenon of ikat textiles through more than 70 masterful examples from countries as diverse as Japan, Indonesia, India, Uzbekistan, Côte d'Ivoire and Guatemala. Learn more about the exhibition
About Martina D’Amato
Martina D’Amato is the managing director at Cora Ginsburg LLC. She is a doctoral candidate at the Bard Graduate Center with a specialization in European textiles and collecting history. D’Amato is passionate about Italian and French decorative arts and design, revivalism and transnational trends in relation to artistic national identity. She has given numerous talks on Italian and French textiles at institutions including the Ashmolean Museum, The Frick Collection, The Met and the Politecnico di Milano. D’Amato has been an expert on the U.S. Antiques Roadshow since 2022.
How to Participate
This program will take place on Zoom. To participate, please register online, and we will email you a link and instructions for joining. Simply follow that link at the time the program starts (6:30 p.m. EDT / 3:30 p.m. PDT). When you register, you can also request to receive a reminder email one day before the program with the link included.