The creative activity is generated by the different qualities, themes and materials connecting with each other; the essence of applied arts is the presence of these connections, or relations. As Aristotle says: Things are called ‘relative’ if as such they are said to be of something else or to be somehow referred to something else. Condition, perception, knowledge and spatial position are relative. It is the genre of textile that is most closely linked to the concept of fashion, among other things, hence it is the formal expression of relation itself. Relation is synonymous with interaction, thus it is tempting to associate it with the new media of the 21st century, but there is a more obvious solution. A garment cannot be interpreted without its wearer: it is merely a folded piece of textile in a drawer. It assumes its true meaning by interacting with its wearer, thus creating a ‘perspective’ for its wearer, i.e. making it possible for it to connect with others. “Style is the man himself.” – can there be a closer relation than that? Thanks to tapestry since the Renaissance textile art has been one of the main areas of the direct connection between fine and applied arts, making it a connecting medium even as an autonomous genre.
András Szilágyi B.
curator of the exhibition