Mini textile art in Eastern Europe: historical survey

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article is about the mini textile art development trends of the second half of the twentieth century as a scarcely studied branch of art. The transition from a large format textile to a miniature form developing as a separate variety is clarified. Recondite works of Eastern European artists are introduced through scholarly review for the first time. Artists from the USSR were under extraordinary pressure, and ideological prohibitions restricted artistic pursuits. However, Soviet artists managed to experiment, create and participate in exhibitions. The article contains an overview of the mini textile exhibitions in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, the Baltics in the second half of the twentieth century. It includes an analysis of works of leading artists and the notable features of their artworks, rethinking and transforming folk art traditions. Three main directions characterize mini textile art of the period: a planar composition with a combination of traditional weaving techniques and textures; the semi-spatial relief images made of non-traditional and atypical materials; the creation of miniature art objects or spatial compositions from various materials. It is proved that mini textile art is an independent type of textiles and continues its development in the twenty-first century.