Kick off your weekend early and join us for a special Thursday evening late-night opening of the exhibition The Fabric of Democracy!
Curated by design historian Amber Butchart, this exhibition explores printed propaganda textiles over more than two centuries. Discover how fabric designers and manufacturers have responded to political upheaval from the French Revolution through to Brexit.
The mechanisation of textile industries from the mid-18th century led to the development of print techniques that could create more detailed imagery on cloth, quicker than ever before. These increasingly affordable processes ‘democratised’ textile decoration, allowing governments, regimes, and corporations to harness the power of print to communicate, from wartime slogans to revolutionary ideals.
Propaganda is usually associated with public art and monumental sculpture. Through this exhibition, explore how fabrics have been used as a political medium both in the home and on the body, through furnishing and fashion. Find out how textiles were used as a tool of the state across the political spectrum, from communism to fascism. Discover how a fraternal crisis in the monarchy played out on cloth, and how democracies promote national identity through textile design.
On display will be textiles from countries including Britain, America, Italy, Germany and Austria, ranging from French toile de Jouy to Japanese robes from the Asia-Pacific war, and Cultural Revolution-era Chinese fabrics which have rarely before been exhibited in the UK.
All tickets booked for entry between 17.00-19.00 (last entry 18.45) include exhibition entry and a free glass of fizz!
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Confirmation email: Once you have made a booking, you will receive a confirmation email detailing all the information you will need prior to your event, this is your event ticket. You will also receive a reminder email one week prior to your event.
Event details: Please check your confirmation email for the start and finish times of your event. Upon entry, please present your ticket(s) on your device or a note of your booking reference number. Exhibition entry is included in your ticket, you are welcome to view the exhibition before or after the event.
Eating and drinking: No food or drink is permitted in the Museum, other than bottled water. The Fashion and Textile Museum is located in the heart of Bermondsey Street, surrounded by award-winning restaurants, cafes and pubs. So, if you would like to enjoy a meal or a drink before or after your visit, there is plenty to choose from.For more information, check out our plan your visit page or our FAQs.