Why Knot?

• Duration:Temporary
• Location:Campbell Gallery

(date) 3/27/2007–8/26/2007

For at least 20,000 years, human beings have manipulated fibers of many kinds to construct objects that are highly diverse in form and function. Cords and ropes are among some of the earliest human tools. Fiber-based objects not only help to satisfy basic human needs, such as food gathering, but also can serve to fulfill our desires for beauty and status. Variations in material, technique, color, and use continue to evolve. While some changes are subtle, others revolutionize the way we think about how we dress, work, or play.

In Why Knot?, the Spurlock Museum celebrates fiber-based artifacts and the skilled craftspeople who create them. The exhibit explores the variety of tools and techniques used to form the pieces, how objects make the body more attractive or comfortable, the work of people who depend on these textiles for their livelihood, and how knots add significant detail to objects both sacred and commonplace.