The International Quilt Museum will host “An Evening of Boro: Talks by Yoshiko Wada and Sandra Dudley” from 4:30 to 7 p.m. April 24. the event will include a reception of the exhibition “Boro: The Hidden and the Visible in Japanese Mended Textiles,” followed by a lecture from Dudley and a guided tour of the exhibition with Wada, guest curator.
Dudley’s lecture is 5:15 p.m. Wada’s gallery tour begins at 6 p.m. with a livestream available for those who register.
“For the past two months, we’ve seen IQM audiences resonate with our ‘Boro’ exhibition for not only its stunning beauty, but also an appreciation for the processes and histories that formed these textiles — the practical act of use and reuse over generations," said Marin Hanson, the museum's curator of international collections. "This event is an exciting opportunity for people to dig deeper into what these mended textiles mean to us and to the people who made them."
“Boro: The Hidden and the Visible in Japanese Mended Textiles” opened in February and will be on display through June 20. The exhibition features nearly 30 objects representing boro — a Japanese concept associated with the cycle of using an object or textile and mending it, repeatedly.
In rural communities across Japan, mainly before World War II, boro was a way of life with everyday textiles being constantly repaired with scraps of cloth and running stitches. Over seasons and years, reused indigo-dyed fabrics would be layered upon each other, creating uneven and mottled surfaces appreciated today for their history and beauty.
This event is free, but in-person attendees are encouraged to RSVP online. Refreshments will be provided during the reception.
