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Behind the Scenes in Conservation: Guernica by Hank Willis Thomas

by Conservation

9/3/2020

Hank Willis Thomas: All Things Being Equal… , textile art , light damage , behind the scenes , textile conservation

This huge quilt and its neighbors in CAM’s new exhibition Hank Willis Thomas: All Things Being Equal are lit up brighter than you might be accustomed to seeing museum textiles. Why? The light levels on the quilts in Gallery 232 are higher than normal for textiles because these objects are made of mostly basketball jerseys! Basketball jerseys are made of synthetic fibers and dyed with industrial processes which are much more resistant to light damage than most textiles you might see on display at the museum.

High performance athletic materials have made this a "high performance" art object! While these quilts are extra-resistant to mechanical strain and light damage, owing to their modern materials, the only exercise they will be doing in the museum is jogging the mind and stretching your perceptions. Come see this quilt and more in Hank Willis Thomas: All Things Being Equal, opening September 4, 2020.

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