MEDIA CONTACTS:
Kurie Fitzgerald: [email protected], 202-994-6461
Brett Zongker: [email protected], 202-994-6466
EVENT:
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum’s new “Bingata! Only in Okinawa” exhibition and its accompanying catalogue will introduce to U.S. audiences the history and culture of Okinawa—Japan’s southernmost administrative district. From the 15th century until 1879, Okinawa was the independent Ryukyu Kingdom, with its own language, art, culture and religion. A prosperous center for maritime trade, this kingdom gained renown throughout East Asia for its superb textiles. Among its most famed fabrics were those patterned with bingata, a uniquely Okinawan dyeing technique noted for bright colors and bold designs that evoke the lush island landscape.
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum’s new “Bingata! Only in Okinawa” exhibition and its accompanying catalogue will introduce to U.S. audiences the history and culture of Okinawa—Japan’s southernmost administrative district. From the 15th century until 1879, Okinawa was the independent Ryukyu Kingdom, with its own language, art, culture and religion. A prosperous center for maritime trade, this kingdom gained renown throughout East Asia for its superb textiles. Among its most famed fabrics were those patterned with bingata, a uniquely Okinawan dyeing technique noted for bright colors and bold designs that evoke the lush island landscape.
Through dozens of traditional bingata masterpieces and contemporary works by Okinawan artists and designers, this major exhibition demonstrates the enduring legacy of the art form as a symbol of Okinawan identity, history and culture.
This exhibition is organized in partnership with the Okinawa Prefectural Government, with major grant support from the Coby Foundation, Ltd., and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
WHEN:
Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016 – Monday, Jan. 30, 2017
WHERE:
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum
701 21st St., NW
Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro (Orange, Blue and Silver lines)
ADMISSION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION:
Admission is free for museum members, children and current GW students, faculty and staff. A suggested donation of $8 for nonmembers will support the museum’s exhibitions, collections and educational programs. For the most up-to-date information on the museum's visiting hours, please check museum.gwu.edu/visit.
RSVP:
Media interested in getting a first look at the exhibition may attend a press preview on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 9 a.m. Please send your RSVP to Kurie Fitzgerald at [email protected] or 202-994-6461 by noon on Monday, Oct. 31. Attention calendar editors: Please do not publish media contact information.
MULTIMEDIA:
Images of selected artworks are available at dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16951615/Bingata%20-%20Press%20Images.zip.
BACKGROUND:
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum opened on March 21, 2015, on GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus. The custom-built museum displays The Textile Museum’s globally recognized collections of more than 20,000 textiles and related objects, and artworks owned by the university, including the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection of 1,000 artifacts documenting the history of Washington, D.C. The museum offers educational programs, including lectures, tours and films that explore themes from the exhibition. Visit the museum’s online calendar for details.
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