ICOM Costume Committee's Annual Meeting, September 25th-30th 2011, Serbia

ICOM Costume Committee Annual Meeting
Ethnographic Museum
Belgrade, Serbia
September 25th-30th 2011.

Theme: In Between - Culture of dress between East and West

Dear ICOM members,
Dear colleagues and friends,

We invite you to join us for our 2011 ICOM - (International Council of Museums) Costume Committee - Annual Meeting, hosted by Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade, Serbia, from September 25th-30th 2011.
The ICOM Costume Committee Board, in close collaboration with colleagues in Belgrade, is planning five exciting and unusual days of papers, exhibitions, poster presentations, workshops and discussions on how centuries of cultural exchange between East and West have influenced the culture of dress. The general theme is "In Between - Culture of dress between East and West". During this inspiring meeting we intend to stress how this region and especially Serbia have influenced the craft, trade, fashion, social and private connections and relations that enable and support the cultural exchange of dress even today. Our special goal is to study and determine how our museums and museum collections are recognizing and responding to this specific cultural exchange.
More than 30 specially prepared exhibitions are the result of Serbian museums' hard work in anticipation of the Costume Committee's first visit to Serbia. The Serbian Ministry of Culture, Media and Information Society of Serbia has in recognition designated September 2011 as the Month of Dress in Serbia.
Also, we are planning a Costume Student Saturday, on September 24th 2011. This event is a full day of innovative lectures and mentoring between college and university students and experienced members of the Costume Committee.
Program updates will be posted on the www.etnografskimuzej.rs and www.costume-committee.org websites.
We encourage each of you to forward this announcement to any colleagues who might be interested in joining us in Belgrade this year.
Looking forward to meeting you in Belgrade!
Ethnographic Museum from September 25th-30th 2011.
Final deadline for application and payment: June 30th 2011.
The registration fees may also be paid in on arrival in Belgrade.
If there are any questions please don't hesitate to contact us!

Best regards,
M.A. Mirjana Menković, coordinator
Atina Atanacković, ethnologist

Contact
icomcostume@etnografskimuzej.rs
mirjana.menkovic@etnografskimuzej.rs
mnemosyne@open.telekom.rs
Mobile phone: 00 381 62 8066-718

Dear ICOM Costume Committee Members,

By now you have received the exciting program information provided by Mirjana Menkovic about our meeting in Belgrade, Serbia. I hope you are planning to attend.

On September 24 our committee is hosting "Costume Student Saturday." Our goal is to offer students a morning of brief talks by Costume Committee members and an afternoon of round-table discussions and/or demonstrations led by Committee members. Students will rotate from table to table to interact with members and other students. The day will be punctuated by tasty refreshment breaks and a delicious lunch. All of this will be free for attending students.

Are you willing to travel to Belgrade a day early and be a part of "Costume Student Saturday"? Are you able to give a short talk or lead a round-table discussion? Or both? The only requirement is that the topic is important to students in costume and textiles, art history, history, ethnographic studies, and related disciplines. Here are a few examples to stimulate your thinking:
a.. How to make quick pattern sketches of garments for reference or reconstructions
b.. How to/how not to attach accession labels to various kinds of costumes
c.. Review of your favorite costume periodicals and books and why you recommend them
d.. Adapting historic costume designs and decorations to modern projects
e.. Characteristics of various fabrics and how they drape
f.. Demonstration of your computer cataloguing system
g.. Successful volunteer projects
h.. How to describe a shoe (June?)

Your reward is a gold star in your costume crown for mentoring the next generation of curators, conservators, and teachers! Please help the students on their way as they transition from school to museum positions.

Depending on the results of our grant application to ICOM, the Costume Committee may be able to help defray some costs of the extra hotel night in Belgrade. As of this writing, we have not heard about the status of our application.

As always, we are asking members to bring gifts for our hosts throughout the week. If you can tuck an extra gift in your suitcase, we may be able to give each of the students a remembrance of Student Saturday.

For more information or to volunteer to be a Student Saturday presenter and mentor, please contact me at: v.berger@cox.net or (602) 256-9457 USA.

I am holding YOUR spot on the "Costume Student Saturday" agenda!

All the best,
Vicki L. Berger
Coordinator, Costume Student Saturday