| Textile Centre Haslach: Poised on the Cusp by Joe Lewis | | Print | |
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Page 1 of 5 The town of Haslach, Upper Austria is the home of Textile Kultur Haslach an organization that has hosted a month long textile focused festival featuring exhibitions, symposium, workshops and a weekend weaver market since 1990 [photo: TKH]  The Future is Now: This past July 2009, Textile Kultur Haslach played host to the European Textile Network's biannual conference as part of this years festival. Held in the town's newly opened Textile Centre which fitted perfectly with the conferences theme “Revival of Old Textile Centres: a new future for training” the following article will outline the Centre's concept, the regions textile history and the plan to establish the Textile Centre Haslach as a model for the generation of international textile education, research and production facility for artist and designers.  an up hill view of the newly renovated former Vonwiller Linen Mill from the millstream [photo: TKH] Textile Centre Haslach, Concept An innovative approach to weaving and textile art education has come to the forefront in Austria at the same time that traditional academic textile departments are struggling for space in Universities and Art Colleges world wide. The concept is simple, as the home base for the culture entrepreneurial organization Textile Kultur Haslach,(i) the former Vonwiller linen spinning and weaving mill in Haslach Upper Austria brings together three existing Institutions under one roof:  one of the machinal looms in the collection of the Weavers Museum which is being relocated into the Textile Centre [photo: Joe Lewis] 1.) Haslach Weavers Museum founded in 1970s the relocation will included the restructuring of its historic inventory, 2.) Manufaktur Haslach(ii) which was founded in 1990 by Mühlviertel sheep farmers and craftsmen working with native sheep breeds such as the (Boehmer) Forest sheep; they produce a line of felted and woven products including clothing and yardage. 3.) Technischen Fachschulen Haslach’s weaving school was scheduled as a third partner active partner in the textile center. The school had excellent technical equipment, which in the past worked with artists and designers on cooperative projects but has been closed do to lack of enrolment (jobs moved off shore)  sampling loom [photo: Joe Lewis] The adjacent buildings have already established FAB depot facilities and Textiles Archive with a large collection regional material including pattern books, literature, and textiles which are open to amateurs and experts for scientific purposes. With this conglomeration of textile activity, the Haslach Textile Centre becomes a new model for exchange and education for textile arts and industry.  Pattern Book from Textile Archive [photo: Joe Lewis]  close up of woolen textile woven at Manufaktur Haslach [photo: Heldi Arts]  Manufaktur Haslach employeeshaping felted slipper [photo:Joe Lewis] next; “Revival of Old Textile Centres: a new future for training” |
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