New exhibition coming to Rogers Historical Museum
Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008
ROGERS - "Rags, Rugs and Weavers: A Living Tradition"will open Feb. 2 at the Rogers Historical Museum. This exhibit from the Michigan State University Museum will remain on view only through Feb. 29.
The process of weaving rags into useful household items came to Michigan with immigrants from northern Europe. Today, Finnish-Americans in the state's Upper Peninsula continue the tradition, weaving used clothing and other discarded textiles into colorful rugs, according to a museum news release.
Rag-rug weaving is a shared cultural activity in these communities. Materials donated by one person may be cut into rags or sewn into strips by another, woven into a rug by still another and the finished rug purchased by yet another member of the community.
Weavers often learn the craft from family members or neighbors, perfecting their techniques by trial and error.
Although this exhibit focuses on the rag-rug tradition in Michigan, making rag rugs was a craft shared by early residents of northwest Arkansas. In the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries, rag rugs were used to cover the floors of homes. Usually long, narrow woven strips were sewn together into carpets.
As manufactured wall-to-wall carpet became more available and affordable, the popularity of large rag rugs waned. But smaller rag rugs, used as scatter rugs, enjoyed popularity off and on throughout the 20 th century. In the 20 th century, area weavers selling their wares at War Eagle and other craft fairs continued to make colorful rugs and place mats with cloth strips.
"Rags, Rugs and Weavers"explores this textile tradition through the work of eight accomplished rag-rug weavers. Rugs, descriptive panels, sample materials and tools and photographs illustrate all aspects of rag-rug weaving. Viewers follow the process from rag to rug and back to rag and learn how these weavers and others are keeping the tradition alive.
The Rogers Historical Museum has hosted several traveling exhibitions from the Michigan State University Museum, which was founded in 1857. In addition to being one of that state's most popular natural and cultural history museums, the Michigan State University Museum provides quality exhibitions to other institutions through its Traveling Exhibition Service. This particular exhibition was supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Michigan Humanities Council, the Michigan State University Extension Service, and Beatrice and David Meyers.
The Rogers Historical Museum is at 322 S. Second St. at the corner of Second and Cherry streets in historic downtown Rogers. The museum's hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free.
For more information, call 621-1154 or visit www. rogersarkansas. com / museum.
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