On the anniversary of one of the most infamous terrorist attacks in history, MSU’s Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, or RCAH, hosted an event to help students reflect on the worldwide impact of Sept. 11.
The event, “Weavings of War: Fabrics of Memory,””:http://rcah.msu.edu/news-events/events/first-sunday-gallery-walk-weavings-war is a part of the “Legacies of War” series, a yearlong focus within RCAH that began during the fall of 2011. The exhibit was meant to intertwine the concept of war with art through various textile pieces previously featured in the MSU Museum, in hope of representing international testimonies regarding the effects of modern warfare. The series also featured a slew of guest speakers throughout the year.
Textiles are considered culturally significant all over the world, according to romance and classical studies professor Rocio Quispe-Agnoli, who said the weaving tradition is ancient and respected but often misunderstood in other countries.
“The average Peruvian admires textiles for so many details, but most people don’t know (textiles) communicate ideas,” she said.
During the ‘80s and ‘90s, Quispe-Agnoli said, the conflict between the Peruvian government and terrorist group, The Shining Path, trapped citizens in between two hostile forces. Weaving textiles served as a therapeutic way to deal with the traumas of their homeland.
“Weavings of War” guest artist Christine Worland believes students could easily find ways to introduce the concept of the exhibit and speeches into their daily lives.
“(Students) see and feel some senses of world community in terms of dealing with war, trauma and conflict and understand how people feel about it because it’s artwork,” she said. “That’s their (artists’) language.”
Worland donated an original quilt for the event that features patches of comments, phrases or words contributed by families of those immediately affected by Sept. 11. Her quilt was just one of many textiles on display providing an alternate perspective of modern warfare to students.
MSU alumna Zuleikha Zadran, who spoke at the event, said she moved from her home in Afghanistan to America in 2002, just one year after the attack on the twin towers. Zadran provided students with insight to her Sept. 11 experience as an Afghan immigrant, saying that she received racist comments at school.
“I expected people to be less affectionate,” she said. “In middle school, they asked if I knew Osama bin Laden — he’s not even from Afghanistan.”
“Weavings of War” originally was curated by Marsha MacDowell, the current curator at the MSU Museum as well as professor of art, art history and museum studies. She said since its debut in 2005, the exhibit has remained popular while traveling to various museums across the country.
“It’s been quite successful wherever it has gone,” she said. “It’s a sort of foil for people to talk about issues they would not ordinarily talk about.”
“The Weavings of War: Fabrics of Memory” will be on display at RCAH’s Lookout! Gallery until Sept. 21.
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