Textiles’ myriad meanings to be explored

Human ecology professor Beverly Gordon will examines the myriad meanings of textiles in an upcoming presentation at the university.

Gordon will present “The Fiber of Our Lives: Why Textiles Matter” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, in 4151 Grainger Hall, 975 University Ave. From the first swaddling cloth or comforting baby “blankie” to the final shroud, from the simplest rope or gauze bandage to the most costly, glittering fabric used to cement a political alliance or marriage, textiles are integral to every aspect of human life, Gordon says.

The talk examines the host of roles and meanings that textiles hold and play in cultures throughout the world. It examines the way they help shape human civilization, their importance as protection and shelter, and how they have furthered economic and political power. Textiles are used as money, as a means of artistic expression, and in ways that symbolized and become integral to transcendent experience, Gordon says.

The lecture, with reception to follow, is hosted by the School of Human Ecology, the Arts Institute and the Center for the Humanities.