The 17th International Triennial of Tapestry in Łódź

The International Triennial of Tapestry, taking place in Łódź, Poland for almost 50 years, is one of the world’s most important events of its kind, attracting artists and lovers of tapestry from all continents. It is also a review of the most important trends and achievements in contemporary textile art. The event is cyclical, held every 3 years, with its 17th edition this year.
As part of the ETN conference, taking place in Lodz on March 2-4, there will be guided tours through this important exhibition of contemporary textile art, but also through the other interesting parts of the permanent exhibition of the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź.

The Triennial 2022/23, curated by Marta Kowalewska, shows 56 works selected by an international jury from almost half a thousand submissions from around the world.  The competition’s open formula with the main theme, that is the “Entangled State”, indicated left the artists with a wide field for interpretation and their own explorations in the medium of fabric. The works selected for the exhibition are very diversified, both in terms of form and meaning.  They include works that refer to classical, traditional tapestry or embroidery techniques, as well as installations exemplifying bold experimentation with fabric. The exhibition will provide an overview of different methods and techniques, thus showing the richness of materials used by the artists and different points of view resulting from geographical and cultural differences.

Despite these differences, all the works share a common element - the themes addressed by the artists revolve around contemporary problems that affect us all, regardless of our origin, gender, or social position. In this respect, the Triennial has always been a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences, not only as regards artistic practice, but also the perception of reality.

Among the objects to be shown in the exhibition, issues relating to the sense of danger caused by the pandemic, the war or climate change and the associated need for security, bonding and the search for one’s own identity resonate particularly strongly.  In relation to the current world situation, the motto of the 17th ITT, “Entangled State”, takes on an exceptionally topical meaning.

As in previous editions, the 17th ITT will be accompanied by another tapestry presentation. An event associated with the Triennial for many years is the National Exhibition of the Polish Tapestry, which is a review of domestic creativity phenomena. This year’s exhibition, entitled “Material Fatigue” and curated by Jakub Gawkowski, will present about 30 works by 19 artists.

More information about the ETN-conference, March 2 – 4, 2023, on site in Łódź, Poland and online: https://etn-net.org/etn-conference-2023.html

By Marta Kowalewska and Christina Leitner