TheNewDowse hanging by a thread

New Zealand Costume and Textile Association Announcement and call for Papers
The 9th annual conference of the New Zealand Costume and Textile Association will be hosted by TheNewDowse art museum in Lower Hutt
Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 June 2010
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HANGING BY A THREAD
tales of disaster and survival

In April 1968 the inter island ferry Wahine headed into Cook Strait, loaded with passengers and freight. Among her various items of cargo - a small brilliantly coloured cocktail dress - lovingly packed in a suitcase. As the ferry came to its ill-fated end on Barrett’s Reef, the suitcase and dress were abandoned as its owner fled to safety on the last lifeboat.

Months later “out of the fuel oil, the slimy silt and rust of the Wahine’s hold,” the dress was rescued and restored to its former glory - its miraculous recovery attributed to the survivalist properties of pure wool. To the promoters of wool this story was not only of the survival of a woman and her favourite party dress, but ammunition for an industry fighting to survive the synthetic revolution and willing to exploit every promotional opportunity at its disposal, even a national disaster.

Historically, and within current practice, costume and textiles are synonymous with survival, and are certainly no stranger to disaster. The 2010 New Zealand Costume and Textile Association conference will address the perilous theme of Hanging by a Thread. We look forward to receiving moving, inspirational, and thought provoking papers that tell tales of disaster and survival.

Abstracts
You are invited to submit abstracts of no more than 300 words on the theme Hanging by Thread. Please include a short biography.

Abstracts should be forwarded to Dr Jane Malthus by Friday 5 February 2010.
Postal address: Dr Jane Malthus, Traquair, 2000 Lee Stream-Outram Road, R. D. 2, Outram 9074
Email:james.reid@xtra.co.nz

Applicants will be advised if their abstract has been accepted by Friday 5 March 2010.

In conjunction with the Hanging by a Thread conference TheNewDowse will present a new exhibition by Andrea du Chatenier in which she draws on the theatrics of fashion photography and catwalk modelling to construct vignettes of disaster and survival.

Image caption:

Andrea du Chatenier
Untitled, 2008
Image courtesy of the artist