The textile collection of George Malacinski and Kirstine Lindemann provides a unique snapshot of the domestic decorations of tribal communities from Turkey, Central Asia, Iran, and Afghanistan.
Village, Nomad, and Tribal Textiles from the Near and Middle East
Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center / September 2 – 30; 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily
The textile collection of George Malacinski and Kirstine Lindemann provides a unique snapshot of the domestic decorations of tribal communities from Turkey, Central Asia, Iran, and Afghanistan.
The selected pieces displayed in the Woven Treasures exhibition only hint at the broad scope of that collection, which includes tent trappings, camel and horse decorations, household storage bags, and tribal clothing. Dominating Woven Treasures — and indeed the collection as a whole — are the many rugs that are a signature of their region.
“If I notice that a rug is ‘speaking to me’, I hatch a plan to acquire it,” explains George. And he has been doing so for close to twenty years.
Very different from the familiar floral “Persian” carpets, these pieces are primarily geometrically patterned flat-weave, with a palette ranging from dark and somber to bright and vivid. Many of the highly stylized designs have been handed down for generations, and some can even be traced to specific villages or individual tribes.
Offering a glimpse into the many ways that nomadic people create comfort and the notion of “home” on their travels, one display even recreates the interior of a nomad’s tent.
Learn More!
Free public exhibition tours with George Malacinski –
Tuesday, September 6 & Thursday, September 15
6 pm – 7 pm
No registration required
The “Woven Treasures” exhibit is made possible with support from the IU Emeriti House & IU Inner Asian & Uralic National Resource Center
