From Feb. 21 – 23, Flagler College will host the “Deeper Than Indigo: Southeast Textile Symposium.” The symposium provides an opportunity to investigate the rich history of St. Augustine and the Southeastern United States through the lens of the indigo trade and the repercussions of slavery and colonialism. Programming includes speaking events, a self-guided field trip day, public art project, national juried fiber exhibition, documentary film and a luncheon. All speaking events are free and open to the public. Fees are associated with the luncheon and some field trip experiences.
The symposium is led by Elizabeth Kozlowski, editor of “Surface Design” journal and Laura Mongiovi, associate professor of art and design at Flagler College.
A total of ten speakers are scheduled to present. Experts include historians, anthropologists and contemporary artists. Rowland Ricketts, trained in indigo farming and dyeing in Japan, is the keynote speaker. Ricketts is an associate professor of textiles at Indiana University.
The first event of its kind, the symposium will feature nationally-recognized speakers on the specific topics being explored. The first day opens with a city-wide exploration of various historical sites to help illustrate interconnectedness in the history and infrastructure of colonial St. Augustine. Day two will begin with speakers and end with an opening reception for “Contemporary Fibers,” a national juried fiber exhibition at Tovar House located at the Oldest House Museum Complex. The third day rounds out the symposium with individual speakers, panels and a luncheon.
Some southeastern historical sites to be brought into the dialogue include Ossabaw Island, Kingsley Plantation Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve as well as Governor James Grant’s Villa Plantation.
A luncheon is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 23. Reservations and fee are required to participate in the luncheon, before Feb. 14. For more information about the symposium programs please visit the website here.
The symposium is part of Flagler College’s Ideas & Images: Scholars and Artists-in-Residence program which brings nationally and internationally-renowned experts to the campus, building on a tradition established when Henry Flagler’s Hotel Ponce de Leon served as an inspiration for stories, a haven for new ideas, a canvas for artistic endeavors, a showcase for new technology and a setting for athletic competitions. In its first decade, nearly 100 scholars and artists have participated in the program. This year’s series was specially created for the 50th anniversary of Flagler College, 1968-2018.
The last Ideas & Images presentation for the academic year will be held on Tuesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. in the Flagler Room of Ponce de Leon Hall. Presenter Jane Landers, Ph.D., will present, “Changing the Narrative of Slavery in Museums and Public History Sites: Adding the Missing Spanish Past.”
Sponsors for the series in addition to Flagler College include: Casa Monica Hotel, National Park Service, Florida Humanities Council, St. Johns County Tourist Development Council, St. Johns Cultural Council, The Joy McCann Foundation, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, St. Augustine Ponte Vedra Florida’s Historic Coast, Flagler College Bookstore, and Florida Public Archaeology Network.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Flagler College is a private, nationally-ranked college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 33 majors, 39 minors, and a master’s degree in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as an off campus site in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost. A Flagler education is less than half the cost of similar private colleges, and competitive with many state universities. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for its historic beauty. The centerpiece of the campus is the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, a National Historic Landmark opened in 1888 by railroad pioneer and Standard Oil co-founder Henry M. Flagler. For more on Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu.
