Researching and presenting in scientific contexts
The Art of Carrying On: Frida's Wardrobe
Frida Kahlo is regarded as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. She exemplifies the fusion of personal experience, political stance, and aesthetic expression. Her works, her biography, and her personal style have had a profound cultural impact. This complexity opens up new avenues of exploration, particularly in the field of design education. In this context, a two-semester project seminar was conducted in the Textile Studies program as part of the module “Research and Presentation in Academic Contexts.” The module focused on an examination of Frida Kahlo’s fashion-based self-presentation, combined with academic research, textile design work, and the conception of an exhibition. Over the course of the two seminars, under the guidance of Lesley-Ann Baldwin and Christine Löbbers, the students developed an exhibition titled “The Art of Carrying Oneself: Frida’s Wardrobe.”
Graphics: Luzia Meyer-Rohen, Luisa Mark, Luzia Meyer-Rohen, Marlene Prieshoff, Julia Thiessen, Lesley-Ann Baldwin
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The veestimentary code of sweatpants
Textile Studies students questioned the image of jogging bottoms and their wearers in a seminar led by Reiner Wolf. The seminar showed that jogging bottoms have undergone a remarkable development in recent decades. More and more people are wearing them not only at home or for sport, but also in public, when shopping or at work. For many, they have become an integral part of the wardrobe. The meanings with which this textile can be loaded make jogging trousers a medium of self-expression - and an exciting object for a seminar on vestimentary codes.
Photo: Reiner Wolf.
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DRESSED - Rom Macht Mode
A collaborative project with the Kalkriese Museum
The “Research and Presentation in Academic Contexts” module focuses on the scholarly analysis and presentation of research findings in the form of exhibitions or publications. During the first iteration of the module, students developed the exhibition DRESSED - Rome Sets the Trend as part of a collaborative project with the Kalkriese Museum.
The collaboration addressed questions such as: What were popular garments among Roman men and women? Which clothing attributes conferred power and status? What materials and textile techniques were used? During the preparatory phase, students explored the themes of fashion and sustainability in ancient Rome, particularly during the era of Emperor Augustus. The intention was to examine the sartorial past of this era in all its multifaceted richness. At the same time, the project aimed to explore possibilities for a more sustainable fashion industry in our present day. The students involved in the project received support from fellow students who assisted in the creation of the textile exhibition pieces, as well as from three textile enthusiasts from Osnabrück. The coordination of the numerous textile objects, such as tunics, togas, and stoles, was in the hands of textile lecturer Christine Löbbers. The team of students and faculty sewed, dyed, filmed, and prepared the exhibits for installation. The university’s master carpenter, Jürgen Menkhaus, worked closely with the museum to build a fully functional weight-driven loom, which is one of the highlights of the exhibition. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved from both the university and the museum. The exhibition will be on view at the Kalkriese Museum through November 2024.
Photo: Lucia Schwalenberg
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