Friday Inspiration - Musical Instrument Museum

Hmmm, your're thinking.  Musical Instrument Museum?  I thought this was a fiber arts blog.  Keep reading!

My husband and I spent last Sunday afternoon at the museum, in North Phoenix, and are planning a return trip soon.  The two floors are divided into regions of the world, each with displays of instruments from the countries in that region along with videos.  When you buy a ticket, you're given a headset that automatically picks up the signal of the area you are nearest.  It's great!  There are also gallery exhibits and a really fun room where you can play many of the instruments.

The displays also include examples of costumes and masks used with the instruments.  And some of the instruments are richly embroidered and/or beaded.  Aha!  There's the fiber arts connection!  I apologize in advance for the quality of some of the photographs.  Taking pictures is allowed, but not with flash, which led to a little bit of blurriness in some.

Detail of Yoruba tied-resist fabric

This clothing was worn with an Egungun mask by the Yoruba people.  Notice the nice example of tied resist dying!  We tend to think of Japan or the US when seeing tied resists, but Africa has a long tradition of using this type of dying also.

Yoruba textiles with tied-resist fabric

Detail of Konyagy weaving

Here is a cotton weaving from the Konyagy people of Guinea.

Konyagy weaving

The embroidery on this tulum (bagpipe) from the Black Sea region is gorgeous.  The photograph doesn't do it justice.  The maker is Murat Atacan.

A beautiful weaving from Peru . . .

and this amazing woven costume from the Kapi village in Indonesia.

Just look at this detail!  It's woven from reeds, wood, and feathers. 

I've only shown you a few of the many, many amazing textiles - none of the beading photos turned out because of the "no flash" rule and they were beautiful.  This museum is definitely worth a morning or afternoon if you live in or are visiting the Phoenix area.