The next Congress and General Assembly of the CIETA (Centre International d’Etude des Textiles Anciens) will take place in Berlin, Germany, from 28 to 30 September 2015. The Deutsches Historisches Museum, situated in the very center of the city, has kindly agreed to host the event.
A day of excursions planned for Thursday, 1 October, will offer visits not only to the various textile collections of the Berlin museums, but also to the royal palaces in Potsdam and to the cathedral of Brandenburg with its treasure of liturgical vestments (a detailed program will follow).
The general theme of the congress will be: “Textiles in Transfer and Transformation“. For centuries, textiles have been transported over long distances, be it as costly commodities or diplomatic gifts, as spoils of war or part of a bridal trousseau. Their arrival in a new place occasionally coincided with changes in form and function. Even textiles that remained in a given place were often adapted to new fashions and uses.
Textiles also served as vehicles, transporting ornamental motifs and patterns, dress styles or constructions from one place or even one culture to another. All aspects of transfer and exchange, adaptation or variation may be considered in papers presented during our congress.
There is a call for papers to be submitted that relate to this theme. You are requested to send your proposals (title and summary of 150 words max) to the General Administrative Secretary in Lyon by 31 October 2014 (deadline). Invitations to the congress together with a detailed program will be sent out in January 2015.
Please note that CIETA membership is required to participate in this congress. Application forms are available on the CIETA website. A CIETA member’s letter of recommendation is no longer mandatory but appreciated.
