NETS exhibition

NETS
13 – 30 September 2010
Opening:Thursday 16 September 5.30pm
Opening Speaker: Avi Amesbury
An exhibition project spanning the textile departments of The Australian
National University, Australia, Novia University of Applied Arts, Finland and
University of Cumbria, UK and their associated communities of graduates and
artists.
School of Art Foyer Gallery Canberra

Foyer Gallery

'NETS'

An international textile exhibition project spanning countries and continents

Introduction

‘NETS’ is a global project across the textile departments of three universities: University of Cumbria (UK), Novia University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Australia National University, Canberra (Australia). The project aims to build connections between textile departments within higher education and explore new collaborative forms of education through textile practice.

Context

Textile based production, the mother of both technology and modern design, is one of the oldest industries in the world. ‘NETS’ is a joint global venture between three universities with the aim of exploring current issues through textile practice and to raise the profile of textiles education internationally.

‘NETS’ believes in creativity, imagination and collaboration. By nurturing a functioning network between different textile institutions, we can celebrate the diversity of artistic power, dynamics and optimism of textile practice.

Each University will interpret and curate their own ‘NETS’ exhibition based upon the generic theme through collaborative discussion. The exhibitions will contain physical and ‘virtual’ examples of artefacts created by all artists represented by each country. The textile industry has always provided a platform for blending tradition with new technology. ‘NETS’ explores new technological possibilities, particularly those connecting people and enhancing collaboration across the countries boundaries. The exhibition explores new approaches to open source-based teaching.

The ultimate aim of ‘NETS’ is to promote and develop textile education and to equip our graduates with up-to-date skills to meet challenges and seize new career opportunities.

OUTCOMES:

VIRTUAL ‘NETS’: A student exhibition

The students of the three institutions will participate in a virtual exhibition by sending images of their artwork produced along the theme of ‘NETS’ to the ‘NETS’ blog. An online voting system will be established to select three winners – one winner from each country-to be announced in Finland at the end of the project in 2011. Student work will then be shown in ‘‘NETS’ exhibitions that will be arranged by each of the participating countries and universities.

‘NETS’ EXCLUSIVE

‘NETS’ EXCLUSIVE’ – the final exhibition in Turku, Finland 2911, is a selected exhibition containing physical and virtual textile based artefacts. The exhibition aims to enhance practitioner collaboration between the universities through a curatorial connection and provide academic discourse around the concept of the theme of ‘NETS’.

The exhibition calendar is anticipated to follow the schedule outlined below:

2010 - Cumbria and Canberra

2011 - Turku

The final exhibition in Turku will form part of the European Culture Capital year festivities. The exhibition and project will culminate in an interactive international workshop/seminar in Turku, Finland.

‘NETS’ PUBLICATION

The ‘NETS’ experience will be reflected upon and analysed by all exhibitors and co-hosts / audience and curators. The results will be published. The accompanying ‘NETS’ publication will be directed towards practitioners, textile historians and curators, textile educators and students.

See the blog for information on work-in-progress: http://netwurks.wordpress.com/