Texas Memorial Museum exhibit explores world of basketry

December 3, 1999

AUSTIN, Texas—The world of basketry is full of beauty, ingenuity, narrative and surprises. With Our Hands We Weave The World, a new exhibit on display through July 2000 at the Texas Memorial Museum, features dozens of baskets, in all sizes and shapes.

Drawn primarily from the extensive collections of the museum, these baskets reflect a wide variety of artistic styles, cultures and natural environments. Hands-on activities and dynamic interpretation make this exhibit an exciting and educational experience.

More than just containers, all baskets reflect the tastes, needs and personalities of their makers. Visitors to With Our Hands We Weave The World learn that baskets from different times and places look very different from each other, as do baskets for different purposes.

In fact, this exhibit challenges visitors to stretch their conceptions of what is a "basket." While the techniques of basket-making have been reinvented all over the world, all basketry shares the themes of utility, design and a close connection to nature. Based on the Texas Memorial Museum's vast cultural-history collections, this exhibit explores these themes, with a special emphasis on how baskets are designed and created. Highlights of the exhibit include:

• Several hands-on stations, including one where visitors can actually wear a basket.

• Text and interpretation is fully bilingual (English and Spanish).

• The baskets range widely in shape, size, function, construction and geographic origin — visitors may find themselves redefining the word "basket."

The Texas Memorial Museum is located at 2400 Trinity St., just north of Royal-Memorial Stadium. Hours are 9 a.m.¬5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.¬5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m.¬5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. TMM serves the public by preserving, studying and interpreting the natural and cultural heritage of Texas.

For more information and for media opportunities, call Brent Lyles at 471-3551, or visit TMM online: http://www.utexas.edu/depts/tmm.