Whenever I visit Tkaronto/Toronto, I always visit the Textile Museum of Canada. The museum regularly stages one or two major exhibitions of textile-based art, and it contains a delightful gift and book shop, a library, and an incredible, accessible community fibre space. While the exhibitions are consistently thought-provoking, it’s the large community space, called the Learning Hub, that feels like the heart of the museum. Visitors can, independently or in scheduled workshops, learn to stitch, weave, knit, braid, rug hook, mend, and more. Bins hold donated textiles and other items that the museum sells at a deep discount or redistributes for community making projects. Staff is always on hand to answer questions and the artist in residence is also located in the Hub.
The recent exhibition Secret Codes: African Nova Scotian Quilts is an excellent example of how the museum reimagines textile art and encourages interaction and hands-on learning. This travelling exhibition (which has been shown in Halifax, Yarmouth, and Charlottetown) contains more than thirty-five quilts and several paintings.
All images by Nadine Flagel.
