Colloque "Smart Textiles from Antiquity to Modern Times"

Responsables / organisateurs : Audrey Gouy et Yann Lorin.

Contact et information : audrey.gouy[chez]univ-lille[point].fr

Based on the latest discoveries and research, this international conference aimed at investigating how smart textiles are through time, from Antiquity to our contemporary world. Indeed, how, why and in which extent clothes and textiles have been used and are still used as an extension, development and augmentation of human identity, intelligence, and physical capacities? How does this impact and what does this require in terms of production, consumption and use?

The conference was thought as an exploratory fruitful dialogue, with insights and stimulation, between discoveries and understanding of ancient textiles production and use, and the latest research and discoveries in modern textile performance and clothes properties, resistance, and consumption. This 3-days conference was organized in collaboration between the HALMA laboratory (UMR 8164), the ENSAIT in Roubaix (Textile Engineering School), the National Work Archives in Roubaix (Archives Nationales du Monde du Travail) and the COST action EUROWEB n° 19131 (cf. euroweb.uw.edu.pl/).

This exceptional collaboration builds on the history of textile production, groundbreaking research and innovation that have been at the heart of the French region Nord for centuries. The attendees and speakers of the conference had a privileged access to current experiments and trainings held at the ENSAIT, as well as exceptional exhibitions and collections, such as at La Piscine Museum (Textile Gallery) and the Manufacture Museum in Roubaix.

The event ended with a performance of Hank Bamberger in the ENSAIT’s Honor Courtyard.

Organizers: Dr. Audrey Gouy (University of Lille and HALMA UMR 8164, France) and Yann Lorin (INRAP – Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives Hauts-de-France)

Scientific committee: Prof. Philippe Abrahami (University of Lille and HALMA UMR 8164, France), Prof. Eva Andersson Strand (University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Textile Research), Prof. Marie Louise Bech Nosch (University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and President of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters), Prof. Frédérique Blaizot (University of Lille and HALMA, UMR 8164), Prof. Prof. Eric Devaux (Director of the ENSAIT, France), Dr. Audrey Gouy (University of Lille and HALMA UMR 8164, France), Prof. Sandrine Huber (Director of HALMA UMR 8164, University of Lille, France), Yann Lorin (INRAP – Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives), Prof. Isabelle Paresys (University of Lille and IRHIS, UMR 8529), Dr. Corinne Porte (Director of the Archives Nationales du Monde du Travail in Roubaix, France), Prof. Agata Ulanowska (Director of the COST project EUROWEB, University of Warsaw).

A lire, un article sur ce colloque, paru dans le numéro 64 de Archaeological Textiles Review (pdf)

Bamberger Dance Projects — Illumiboy (2022), Lille, France