Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities

July 23, 2016 to January 8, 2017

All over the world, women artisans are forming cooperatives to improve their quality of life by producing, managing and marketing their creations. This colourful and vibrant exhibition explores how working collectively enables women to support their families, transform their communities and preserve their traditional arts.

Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities tells stories of how grassroots collaboration can advance human rights, including the right to work, to obtain an adequate standard of living, to reclaim culture, and to live in health and safety.

The exhibition incorporates beautiful examples of the cooperatives’ handmade arts, such as embroidered story cloths, beaded neck collars and hand-dyed wool weavings. It also incorporates the artisans’ experiences through text, striking photography and compelling video.

An immersive virtual reality experience transports visitors to Guatemala for a 3D look at the transformative work of several women’s weaving groups.

The exhibition also looks at cooperatives generating change in Bolivia, India, Kenya, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa and Swaziland. For example:

• In Bolivia, women adapted their skills to cultivate garabatá plants, reclaiming their Indigenous tradition of weaving bags from the plants’ fibres.
• In Rwanda, Hutu and Tutsi women work side by side, weaving “peace baskets” as they heal from the trauma of war.
• In India, a cooperative enables embroiderers to stop wandering in search of work and support children at home.

The Museum welcomes this exhibition in its Level 6 “Expressions” gallery, with viewing included in the cost of general admission. Engaging programming and events will enrich the visitor experience.

This exhibition has been organized by the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is circulated through GuestCuratorTraveling Exhibitions.