Ancient Textiles from the Andes

This is a rare opportunity to see ancient Andean textiles of this quality and size exhibited in the UK. Through a major loan from the collector Paul Hughes, alongside pieces from the Whitworth, textiles from c300BC to c1400AD are on display. As well as celebrating breath-taking achievements in textile technique and design, this show explores the complexities of their transition from local ritual to a wider international stage. Vitally, acknowledging the human origins of these objects (from tombs and often from bodies themselves) they are part of a programme of debate about ethics, how objects are contextualised and the impact of conservation on how we understand them.

29 March – 15 September 2019

Image: Tunic (Cushma), Wari culture, Southern Andes, alpaca wool, c800 AD, 251x155cm. Courtesy: Paul Hughes Collection.