Welcome to the Center for Design and Material Culture (CDMC)!
Interdisciplinary research is at the core of all of the work we do. What does research look like in the CDMC? We work with faculty and students to investigate the production, history, and cultural context of the 13,000 textiles in our collection. We collaborate with scholars to consider diverse material culture methods through our many exhibitions and programs. We support cooperative design thinking projects that require interviews, iteration, and testing to solve wicked problems in our community.
To do this important work, we invite collaboration from faculty, students, practitioners, and community members who wish to explore and contribute to the production of knowledge in our three CDMC pillars: the Study of Textiles, Material Culture and Design Thinking. Explore our fellowship and affiliate programs and our Collection-Intensive Course development and Faculty-in-Residence Program opportunities to learn about some of the ways you can get involved. We also invite collaboration around our dynamic exhibitions in the Ruth Davis Design Gallery and the Lynn Mecklenburg Textile Gallery.
Sarah Anne Carter, PhD
Executive Director, Center for Design and Material Culture
Pillars of Study
Collaborative Research Examples
Heart, Head, and Hand: Making and Remaking at Berea College Student Craft
H"eart, Head, and Hand: Making and Remaking at Berea College Student Craft" is an exhibition that explores what it means to make on campus—and the power of design and craft to inspire creativity across disciplines.
Developing a Common Language Around Cultural Appropriation
For more than 50 years, the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection (HLATC) has been a destination for those passionate about global textile traditions. And for the past five years, the collection has been the foundation of a curriculum that seeks to help those visitors understand the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.
Material Histories
During the 2021-2022 academic year the CDMC invited proposals for essays and other research-based projects that explore the material culture foundation of home economics and its subsequent transformations as schools of human ecology.
How to Connect
Students
UW students can connect with the center in a number of ways including visiting the galleries or collection, viewing our exhibits or collection online, or working with us through fellowships, student hourly, and PA positions.
Instructors
We encourage instructors to utilize the CDMC as a resource to enhance thier coursework. We offer individualized collection and gallery visits by appointment and work with instructors to tailor the visit to the needs of the class.
Researchers
The CDMC supports research through a number of resources and opportunities. Whether your a student, faculty member, or researcher from outside UW, we work with a range of people and institutions to support shared research goals.
