New exhibition on Quaker simplicity
'We wanted to bring the exhibition up to date and think about how the approach to simplicity has changed, particularly with Quakers’ current concern with the environment and consumerism.'
Friends have been sharing their thoughts on Quaker simplicity for a new exhibition at the Quaker Tapestry Museum. The display will feature videos recorded by Friends alongside historical items reflecting Quaker approaches to their longstanding testimony.
Naomi Garnett, the general manager of the Kendal-based museum, told the Friend: ‘We were looking at the historical context of simplicity, and have some historic clothing in the collection which is linked to Quaker plainness and simplicity, but we wanted to bring the exhibition up to date and think about how the approach to simplicity has changed, particularly with Quakers’ current concern with the environment and consumerism. We also wanted it to be interactive, and we’re asking some local Quakers to voice historical Quaker quotes on the subject, and then run the contemporary videos alongside it.’
With the project so far including local Friends, Quaker schools, and a local textile artist, Naomi Garnett said that the exhibition is ‘a kind of experiment’ to see how staff can engage with audiences in a new way. They are still keen to hear from Quakers about what simplicity means to them, and plan to run the exhibition soon.
Naomi said that they are also hoping to show some of their collection which isn’t normally on display. ‘We have lots of other objects as well as the tapestry, so it will be nice to get them out. We have quite a few textile examples, including children’s clothes and baby bonnets. We’ve also got some beaded bags made and owned by Quakers. We even have a couple of wedding dresses, but we don’t have the mannequins in place to show them yet, but we do have a lovely boy’s three-piece suit from the late 1800s that a Quaker boy wore, and a photograph of him wearing it, so we’re hoping to have that out. The items are plain and simple, but really high quality and beautifully made. It’s interesting to see that Quakers wanted plainness, but as some were affluent, they wanted to be able to show that wealth through the quality of the fabric. It’s interesting to see that there’s that tension.’
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