World Affairs Council – DC, Freer and Sackler Galleries, Textile Museum host Walter Denny

WASHINGTON - Jan. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- Walter Denny will speak about “The Oriental Carpet: Foreign Gifts and Foreign Affairs” and his new book January 29 at the Meyer Auditorium in the Freer Gallery of Art at 6:45 with  a reception at 6:00. His talk will range from the history, design techniques, and craftsmanship of carpets made in the “Rug Belt,” stretching from Morocco to northern India, to the socioeconomic contexts and use of carpets in international affairs.

This event is a collaboration of the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries; the George Washington University and The Textile Museum; and the World Affairs Council – Washington, DC. The event is free and open to the public with no reservations required. Denny will sign books, which will be for sale, after his talk.

Denny is a leading expert on textiles of the Islamic world, a topic that spans a breadth of cultures from the Ottoman Empire to Egypt and Persia. He is a professor of art history and an adjunct professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His forthcoming book, “How to Read Islamic Carpets,” highlights sixty examples of handwoven carpets and places them in historical context.

“It is an honor to welcome Walter Denny to the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries in collaboration with the World Affairs Council – DC and the Textile Museum.  His deep knowledge of Islamic textiles makes him a fascinating presenter, and we are so pleased to host one of his first talks about his latest book,” said Katie Ziglar, Director of External Affairs at the Freer and Sackler Galleries.

“Walter Denny’s exceptional research, publications, and teaching have helped cement the importance of textiles in Islamic art history. We are pleased to join the Freer and Sackler Galleries and the World Affairs Council – Washington, DC in celebrating this recent recipient of The Textile Museum’s lifetime achievement award and his latest contribution to the field of textile arts,” said John Wetenhall, Director, the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum.

“We are delighted to join the Freer and Sackler Galleries and the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum in welcoming renowned art history expert Walter Denny. His scholarship in the field of Islamic textiles is unmatched,” said Tony Culley-Foster, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council – DC.

The Freer Gallery of Art, located at 12th Street and Independence Avenue S.W., and the adjacent Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, located at 1050 Independence Avenue S.W., are the national museums of Asian art. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day (closed Dec. 25), and admission is free. The galleries are located near the Smithsonian Metrorail station on the Blue and Orange lines. For more information about the Freer and Sackler galleries and their exhibitions, programs and other public events, visit asia.si.edu (http://www.asia.si.edu/) or follow twitter.com/freersackler or facebook.com/freersackler (https://www.facebook.com/FreerSackler).

The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum opens at GW’s Foggy Bottom campus on March 21, 2015. Focused on art, history, and culture, it will showcase The Textile Museum’s highly regarded textile collections from around the globe and the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection of artifacts that trace the founding and evolution of our nation’s capital.

Since 1980, the World Affairs Council-Washington, D.C. has provided thought-provoking, top level presentations, debates and discussions of global education and international affairs in the Washington metropolitan area. The Council’s global education, including the teacher development workshops, and youth leadership forums, foster a balanced view of global issues and prepare our youth to compete in the 21st century workplace.