The world-famous collection “Jarrachara: The Wind of the Dry Season”, which consists of the eye-catching inborn textile artworks of Australia, which hosts the first traces of life in the world, and the “'Woven Width and Beyond Garments'” exhibition, which consists of the designs of young talents from Turkey, are meeting with the passionate of art in Istanbul. “Jarrachara: The Wind of the Dry Season” consists of screen printing textile works made by female artists of traditional Australian peoples at the Bábbarra Women's Center in Arnhem Land in Australia's Northern Territory. While bringing together artists from Bábbarra Women's Center and students from Istanbul Bilgi University Textile and Fashion Design Department, the exhibition also brings together different cultural stereotypes through the artistic expression of common themes such as "value", "protection" and "strength."
The exhibition, which will be presented to art lovers at Istanbul Bilgi University santralistanbul Campus Energy Museum between June 21 and July 9, has the distinction of being Turkey's first Australian native textile art exhibition. The exhibition, organized by the Australian Missions in Turkey in partnership with Istanbul Bilgi University and The Woolmark Company, opened its doors with a special reception at the santralistanbul Campus. with the participation of Australian Consul General Tony Huber, Istanbul Bilgi University Rector Prof. Dr. M. Ege Yazgan, and with the attendance of art lovers, academy and important figures from the business world.
Australian Consul General Tony Huber said, “It is a great honor for us to organize such a unique textile art exhibition in Istanbul, which brings together the creativity of the Australian indigenous people and the designs of young students from Turkey.”
Jarrachara: The Wind of the Dry Season
The exhibition “Jarrachara: The Wind of the Dry Season” consists of the works of women whom push the boundaries of art by bringing past narratives and stories to the present with modern tools. The exhibition reveals the deep and inner cultural knowledge of women.
The word "Jarracharra" comes from the Burarra language, one of the indigenous dialects of Australia. "Jarracharra", meaning the strong cold wind that rises at the beginning of the dry season in Arnhem Region, also signifies the beginning of the annual gathering ceremonies of the indigenous tribes. The word is also used as a metaphor for how the Bábbarra Women's Center in the city of Maningrida, Northern Australia, has for over 35 years brought together women from different Aboriginal cultures, tongues and stories from the Arnhem Region.
While bringing the wealth of textile designs developed by women over many years in art workshops from Maningrida to Istanbul, at the exhibition, the presentation of fabrics side by side also symbolizes the cooperation and cooperative works of various artists in Bábbarra, where several art masters now have become a family.
Woven Width and Beyond Garments
"Jarrachara: The Wind of the Dry Season" is accompanied by the " Woven Width and Beyond Garments’’ exhibition, which consists of the works of Istanbul Bilgi University Textile and Fashion Design Department students.
Using Australian Merino wool, " Woven Width and Beyond Garments’’ combines a zero-waste and/or minimum-waste philosophy with molding techniques that can be easily applied to different models to prevent the waste of valuable textile materials produced with natural resources. In the focus of the designs at the exhibition, there is a concept that reveals fundemantal values such as the combination of environmentally friendly techniques and designs, and the preservation and evaluation of the time, soil, natural resources, human labor and energy which are devoted to clothing production.
The exhibition not only draws attention to the creative industries rising on the shoulders of young talents in Turkey, but also highlights the increasing role of environmental efforts in the textile and fashion industries, integrated with a zero-waste and/or minimum-waste approach, and the accompanying innovative techniques in art and design.
İstanbul Bilgi University Textile and Fashion Design Department Head Dr. Öğr. Üyesi İrem Arıkan Ekşi pointed out that domestic female artists from the Maningrida region of Australia place the themes of 'valuing, protecting and strengthening' textile patterns at the center of their lives, and inspired the designs of our exhibition, which aims to contribute to a circular fashion industry with these themes. In our exhibition "Woven Width and Beyond Garments’’, our students set out from the idea that fabric waste should be a part of their design decisions in order to ensure sustainability in fashion. Our students made designs that aim to reduce fabric waste with patterns that use all or almost all of the fabric width coming out of the weaving loom.”
The Role of Wool in Circular Fashion Design
The main focus of pattern cut designs based on zero-waste principle is the reuse of waste fabrics from the weaving loom in one or more piece of garment.
Zero-waste and/or minimum-waste based mold design technique also protects our lands and communities; it aims to achieve a circular industry rather than an industrial order that use up human power, ecosystem and resources by valuing, protecting them and creating an strengthening effect with our actions.
The fact that Woolmark licensed fabrics used in the designs are made of 100% natural, renewable, biodegradable and recyclable wool fiber, and the fact that wool is a material that has the potential to separate large amounts of carbon and increase biodiversity, underlines the importance of wool for circular design and economy.
According to data from The Woolmark Company, "Wool has long been accepted as an environmentally positive choice. 100 percent biodegradable fiber which has a number of natural benefits, such as the ability to be continuously bred on sheep, makes it completely renewable." In addition, the company emphasizes that "many Australian wool growers use sustainable practices to promote biodiversity and resilience in ecology, people and the economy", giving Australian wool a special place in the changing textile and arts ecosystem.
The Woolmark Company Managing Director, John Roberts said, “Wool is the best fiber which adapts to the circular textile production model that minimizes waste and pollution. As The Woolmark Company, we are pleased to work with brands and supply chains on a larger scale, as well as student initiatives, such as in the " Woven Width and Beyond Garments’’ exhibition, assisting them to access information about the natural ecological characteristics of wool, its suitability for the circular economy and its benefits.”
Valuing, Protecting and Strengthening Together
The opening reception of the exhibition, which will bring together the exhibits from the collections of “Jarrachara: The Wind of the Dry Season” and "Woven Width and Beyond Garments’’ with the art lovers in İstanbul, was also took place as a donation event.
The clothes designed by the students of the Istanbul Bilgi University Textile and Fashion Design Department were put up for auction, and the proceeds from the sale were donated to the United Nations Women's Unit (UN Women) Turkey Earthquake Fund in order to support the women and girls which affected by the 6th of February earthquakes.
