Book of Textiles: The Karun Thakar Collection

Join us for a Zoom conversation with author and curator Stephen Ellcock to celebrate his new release, “The Book of Textiles,” a stunning collaboration with textile expert and collector Karun Thakar. Conceived as an inspiring vision of the world as seen through the lens of textiles, the book features a spellbinding selection of more than 200 of the most significant, extraordinary, and distinctive pieces in Karun Thakar’s world-renowned collection.

Stephen Ellcock is a London-based author, curator, researcher and online collector of images who has spent the last decade creating an ever-expanding virtual museum of art that is open to all via social media. His ongoing attempt at creating the ultimate social media “Cabinet of Curiosities” has so far attracted more than 650,000 followers worldwide and increasing media attention. He is the author of The Cosmic Dance, Underworlds, Elements, All Good Things, England on Fire (with text by Mat Osman), The Book of Change, Jeux de Mains (a collaboration with Cécile Poimboeuf-Koizumi), and the coauthor of Time for Magic with Jamie Reid, John Marchant and Philip Carr-Gomm. Stephen has been variously described as “the most inspiring dandy of the new, weightless world”and “the soul of the internet.”

Karun Thakar has been collecting textiles and other objects for over four decades. He is drawn to forms of making and designs that speak of human creativity, skill and artistry across cultures and time. Of the tens of thousands of global textiles in his collection, many hint at hidden layers of meaning and unheard stories: of identity and belonging, trade, colonialism, migration, exchange and the wider human experience. Karun is passionate about democratising art and bringing forward lesser-known narratives. These aims are reflected in the ways he works to share his collection with a wider audience. To date, he has organised five exhibitions at venues within educational institutions and six books present understudied objects in an accessible but academically robust manner. Textile research is notoriously under-resourced. In 2020, the Karun Thakar Fund was set up in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum to address this imbalance, awarding substantial grants for the study of African and Asian textiles and dress.

Members may view the video of this lecture by logging in. Please login or join to become a member.