Weaving Voices: African Textiles in Iowa presents a meaningful opportunity to explore and strengthen relationships between the Stanley Museum of Art and African communities in eastern Iowa through the art of African textiles. Through written materials and video-recorded interviews, the exhibition centers upon African textiles in the Stanley Museum of Art permanent collection and the voices from the African community in Iowa City.

While the Stanley Museum acquired its first African textiles prior to Betty Stanley’s bequest in 1990, her gift of nearly forty textiles laid the foundation for a collection that has grown to include nearly 600 examples of fiber art from across the continent. To honor the legacy of this gift, the exhibition will include select works from Betty Stanley’s collection, along with other acquisitions and loans. 

Organized by Dr. Cory Gundlach, Curator of African Art for the Stanley Museum and Director of the UI African Studies Program, and Dr. Peju Layiwola, Mellon Curatorial Fellow at the Stanley Museum, this exhibition will take shape through the efforts of a curatorial team led by representatives from the African community in Iowa City. 

Key members of the curatorial team include Dr. Anne Kiche, Professor of Global Health Studies, Chairperson of the African Communities Network of Iowa, and faculty member in Iowa’s African Studies Program; Dr. Sunday Goshit, Professor of International Studies, Vice President of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, and Chair of Iowa City’s Africa Fest; and Walla Osman, a member of the Sudanese community in Iowa.