TM to Honor Keshishian and others at Gala

The Textile Museum to Host Tribute Dinner Fundraising Gala at the Historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel

The Textile Museum will host its third Tribute Dinner fundraising gala on Thursday, October 16 from 6:30 to 10:00 pm at the historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Textile Museum will honor preeminent scholar Jon Thompson with the George Hewitt Myers Award, named for The Textile Museum's founder and given in recognition of his lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts. Also included in the evening program is the presentation of the Museum's inaugural Awards of Distinction to longtime supporters Harold M. Keshishian, Alice Dodge Wallace and Edwin M. Zimmerman for their distinguished service in fulfillment of the Museum's mission. The Tribute Dinner is part of the Museum's "Tribute to Textiles Weekend" (October 15-19, 2008), a full program of interrelated events celebrating the textile arts.

(PRWEB) July 28, 2008 -- The Textile Museum will host its third Tribute Dinner fundraising gala on Thursday, October 16 from 6:30 to 10:00 pm at the historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Textile Museum will honor preeminent scholar Jon Thompson with the George Hewitt Myers Award, named for The Textile Museum's founder and given in recognition of his lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts. Also included in the evening program is the presentation of the Museum's inaugural Awards of Distinction to longtime supporters Harold M. Keshishian, Alice Dodge Wallace and Edwin M. Zimmerman for their distinguished service in fulfillment of the Museum's mission. The Tribute Dinner is part of the Museum's "Tribute to Textiles Weekend" (October 15-19, 2008), a full program of interrelated events celebrating the textile arts.

George Hewitt Myers Award Honoree

Jon Thompson is a noted scholar in the field of textile arts. From 2001 to 2007, Thompson held the position of May Beattie Fellow in Carpet Studies at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology and the Khalili Research Centre, at the University of Oxford. In this capacity, he directed the Beattie Carpet Archive, working toward the establishment of a database of images and notes on carpets made by May Hamilton Beattie (1908-1996) in order to make her research available to scholars. His work also involved teaching courses on carpets and textiles of the Islamic world at Oxford University and at the British Museum. Though now retired from Oxford, Thompson continues to teach in London at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

This year Thompson is guest curator of an exhibition celebrating the 75th anniversary of the New York-based Hajji Baba Club, the nation's oldest and most prestigious rug and textile collecting group. The exhibition is on view at the New York Historical Society through August 17, 2008 and will open as "Timbuktu to Tibet: Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas" at The Textile Museum on October 18, 2008. The exhibition is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated catalogue, "Timbuktu to Tibet: Exotic Rugs and Textiles from New York Collectors," also written by Thompson.

Awards of Distinction Honorees

Awards of Distinction honorees Harold M. Keshishian, Alice Dodge Wallace and Edwin M. Zimmerman have supported The Textile Museum for many years as Trustees and through philanthropic gifts, donations to the collections, loans for exhibitions, public program presentations and other generous contributions. They were chosen to receive The Textile Museum's inaugural Awards of Distinction in recognition of their distinguished service in fulfillment of the Museum's mission, and will be honored during the Museum's Tribute Dinner on October 16.

"The dedication of these individuals to our mission sustains our efforts and ensures our future growth as a leader in scholarship, presentation and conservation of the textile arts," said Museum Director Daniel Walker. "We are pleased to honor their many contributions, in so many forms, to The Textile Museum."

About the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel

The largest luxury hotel in Washington D.C., the Mayflower, an acclaimed Renaissance Washington D.C. hotel, is a proud member of Historic Hotels of America. Situated in the heart of the business district, just four blocks from the White House, this historic hotel offers a timeless aura that makes it the "second best address in the nation's capital."

About "Tribute to Textiles Weekend"

From Wednesday, October 15 through Sunday, October 19, 2008, The Textile Museum will host a "Tribute to Textiles Weekend." The event-filled celebration includes the Museum's third Tribute Dinner fundraising gala; the annual Textile Museum Fall Symposium, this year on the topic Cultural Threads: Exploring the Context of Oriental Rugs and Textiles; and several events held in conjunction with the fall exhibition, "Timbuktu to Tibet: Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas," opening October 18.

For more information about the "Tribute to Textiles Weekend" program, sponsorship opportunities, to purchase tickets for the Tribute Dinner gala, or to register for The Textile Museum Fall Symposium, visit www.textilemuseum.org or contact Ingrid Faulkerson at (202) 667-0441, ext. 78 or ifaulkerson@textilemuseum.org.

About The Textile Museum

Established in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers, The Textile Museum is an international center for the exhibition, study, collection and preservation of the textile arts. The Museum explores the role that textiles play in the daily and ceremonial life of individuals the world over. Special attention is given to textiles of the Near East, Asia, Africa and the indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Museum also presents exhibitions of historical and contemporary quilts, and fiber art. With a collection of more than 18,000 textiles and rugs and an unparalleled library, The Textile Museum is a unique and valuable resource for people locally, nationally and internationally.