Upcoming Exhibitions

Timbuktu to Tibet:
Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas
October 18, 2008 - Winter/Spring 2009

This exhibition celebrates the 75th anniversary of the oldest rug-collecting group in the United States: the New York-based Hajji Baba Club.

Through the display of a wide array of more than 70 textiles and rugs originally made in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia and now held in private collections, Timbuktu to Tibet tells the story of the people who made the textiles, the ways they lived and worked, and the functions of their weavings. The exhibition explores the central role that textiles have played in many disparate cultures across several continents. Complementing the textiles are photographs illustrating the lifestyles and cultures of the people who made and used the carpets and textiles on view.

The Hajji Baba Club has greatly impacted the understanding and appreciation of rugs and textiles as works of art. George Hewitt Myers, founder of The Textile Museum, was an involved member of the Club, and it continues to boast an active membership today. The exploration of the Club's history, coupled with the focus on the cultural context and functionality of the textiles, provides a delightful journey for those unfamiliar with textiles as well as specialists in the field.

Currently on view at the New York Historical Society, the exhibition is curated by preeminent scholar Jon Thompson. Timbuktu to Tibet is accompanied by a copiously illustrated book entitled Timbuktu to Tibet: Exotic Rugs and Textiles from New York Collectors, authored by the exhibition curator, and a wide range of public programs.

Timbuktu to Tibet: Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas serves as inspiration for this year's Textile Museum Fall Symposium, to be held October 17-19, 2008 on the topic Cultural Threads: Exploring the Context of Oriental Rugs and Textiles. Visit the symposium webpage for more details and plan to join us this fall!