Selling Yarns

Australian Indigenous textiles and good business in the 21st century

 

Papers

Cultural strands / Woven visions: Imagining the future

Session: Success stories 2:30 - 3:45 pm, Monday, 14 August 2006

Carly Davenport Acker

Cultural Relations Manager, FORM Contemporary Craft and Design

Abstract

In February 2006 FORM: Contemporary Craft and Design in Perth will hold a two day public program Cultural strands / Woven visions to celebrate the opening of the national touring exhibition Woven forms: Contemporary basket making in Australia. There is a need to map the current developments of the fibre arts sector and discuss past, present and future directions.

Cultural strands / Woven visions will investigate the shared dialogue and universalities of basket making and fibre art across time and cultures. Cross-cultural collaborations and exchange opens up personal and professional development pathways and possibilities. There is a need to record the successful and unique outcomes, solutions and ideas that will arise from the forum. The major themes of the forum need to be woven together and made accessible to wider audiences of this bourgeoning sector.

Investigations of diversity are also a key theme. The success of this sector's growth is founded on a myriad of different cultural, environmental, geographical and technological platforms. What are the core differences and universalities that can be deemed successful on a local and national level? How are practitioners visualising the future and what is this founded on?

A key theme of Cultural strands / Woven visions will be sustainability; environmental, spiritual, social, cultural, economical and technical. In light of visualising the future, the paper will examine the growing identity of the Australian sector (remote community to national) and investigate the parameters of our presence internationally. Building partnerships, both educational and commercial is vital to this sector's success. The paper will provide a transparent study of sector trends including the shared collective voices and visions from Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners.

See also: Carly Davenport Acker's biography