THE INTERNATIONAL TRIENNIAL OF TEXTILE ARTS IN SZOMBATHELY TOWARDS 2027: NEW DIRECTOR ESZTER SÖPTEI ON ITS HISTORICAL LEGACY AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
| By Barbara Pavan |
Within the international landscape of contemporary textile practices, the International Triennial of Textile Arts in Szombathely has established itself as a leading reference point. Hosted by the Szombathely Gallery (Szombathelyi Képtár) and organized in collaboration with the Savaria Museum and the Cultural Foundation for Textile Arts, the event represents one of the longest-running and most authoritative platforms dedicated to textile research in Central and Eastern Europe. As such, it offers a privileged perspective on the transformations that have shaped the textile medium from the second half of the twentieth century to the present day.
Founded during the remarkable flourishing of Hungarian textile art in the 1970s, the Triennial has evolved from an event primarily rooted in the traditions of tapestry and artistic textiles into an international forum open to interdisciplinary practices, installation-based research, and the most innovative intersections of art, design, and material culture. This evolution reflects the broader critical reassessment of textiles within contemporary artistic discourse, which has increasingly recognized their ability to engage with key issues such as identity, memory, sustainability, social relations, and the cultural construction of knowledge. Today, textile languages are widely acknowledged as both artistic and conceptual mediums capable of connecting individual experience with collective narratives.
The 9th International Triennial of Textile Arts, scheduled for 2027, marks a new chapter in this ongoing trajectory with the appointment of Eszter Söptei as Artistic Director. While remaining firmly grounded in the distinguished traditions of Hungarian textile art, this new phase seeks to strengthen the Triennial’s international profile and deepen its engagement with some of the most pressing concerns of contemporary culture. Particularly emblematic in this regard is the theme selected for the upcoming edition, Emberöltő / Interwoven Generation, which invites reflection on cultural transmission, intergenerational relationships, and the ways in which memory, identity, and lived experience become intertwined over time.
We interviewed Eszter Söptei, the newly appointed Artistic Director of the 9th International Triennial of Textile Arts in Szombathely, to discuss the vision shaping the forthcoming edition and to examine how this historic event seeks to position itself within current debates surrounding contemporary textile practices, artistic research, and critical engagement.
The International Triennial of Textile Arts has by now become a landmark event in the international landscape of contemporary textile arts. How did this project begin, and how has it developed and evolved over the course of its different editions?
Hungarian textile art is built upon traditions that are outstanding even on an international level. The history of the Hungarian Textile Biennials dates back to the 1970s, when textile art in Hungary became an especially strong and progressive artistic field. The establishment of the biennials was closely connected to a professional milieu in which tapestry art, wall and spatial textiles, as well as experimental approaches to textile art were developing simultaneously.
The biennials held in Szombathely soon evolved beyond the framework of a traditional applied arts event. From the very beginning, contemporary artistic thinking, material experimentation, and autonomous artistic approaches played an important role. During this period, Hungarian textile art was internationally significant, particularly in the fields of tapestry art and monumental textile works.
Over the decades, the biennials — and later the triennials — continuously responded to artistic and social changes. As textile art increasingly moved beyond classical genre boundaries, the event itself also became more open to installation art, conceptual thinking, alternative material use, and interdisciplinary approaches.
International openness was another important milestone. The event gradually became part of a broader European and international professional network, where not only traditional textile art but also new tendencies in contemporary visual culture began to appear.
The current International Triennial of Textile Arts is essentially the continuation of this professional process built over decades. While preserving the defining traditions of Hungarian textile art, it continuously seeks new directions and questions that engage contemporary art today. For us, it is important that the Triennial functions both as a historical continuity and as a living, continuously evolving contemporary platform.
Over the past decades, textile art has undergone a significant transformation, gaining an increasingly prominent place within the field of contemporary visual arts. In your view, what factors have contributed to this growing international attention from both audiences and professionals in the field?
In my opinion, the contemporary revaluation of textile art has been shaped by several interconnected social, theoretical, and cultural processes. One of the most important factors has been the transformation of the hierarchies traditionally associated with the medium. For a long time, textiles were primarily interpreted as craft, applied art, or a “female” activity, and therefore occupied a lower prestige position compared to fine art. In contemporary art, however, interdisciplinary and conceptual approaches that challenge traditional genre boundaries have become increasingly prominent, allowing textile to emerge as an autonomous artistic medium.
Closely connected to this is the influence of feminist art theory and the reinterpretation of women’s creative roles. Historically, textiles were strongly associated with women’s labor, domesticity, and craftsmanship, which is why feminist discourse played a crucial role in providing the medium with new meanings and cultural legitimacy. At the same time, materiality in contemporary art has increasingly acquired conceptual significance: textile can simultaneously evoke corporeality, memory, vulnerability, identity, and social roles.
Another important aspect is the accessibility and democratic nature of the material itself. Textile is an everyday, widely available medium that naturally connects to participatory, community-based, and sustainability-oriented practices. Issues related to fast fashion, textile waste, and recycling have also contributed to textile becoming a socially sensitive and highly relevant material within contemporary art.
In addition, institutional openness has been equally significant. International exhibitions, biennials, museum and curatorial projects increasingly incorporate textile art into the discourse of contemporary visual art, while museums and private collections are also giving greater visibility to the medium. This ongoing institutional recognition continues to strengthen both the professional and public acceptance of textile art.
You will be the director of the upcoming edition of the Triennial. What is your curatorial vision, and what guiding principles are shaping the project you are currently developing?
During the preparation of the 9th International Triennial of Textile Arts 2027, several important changes were introduced. Based on the experiences of previous years, we reconsidered the category system: certain categories were merged or discontinued because we felt they no longer truly reflected the specific characteristics of the medium, but had instead become merely formal or size-based frameworks.
A significant change is that all categories have now been opened internationally. The 9th International Textile Art Triennial announces an open call in three categories: Wall and Spatial Textile, Textile Design, and Miniature Textile. We consider the strong presence of traditional tapestry art especially important, as it remains one of the most distinguished areas of textile art. At the same time, we would like to provide greater space for artists who approach textiles through innovative materials, technological solutions, or interdisciplinary and intermedial perspectives.
The theme of the 9th International Triennial of Textile Arts, “Ember/öltő” (“interwoven/generation”), offers particularly rich possibilities for exploring human connections, the passage of time, generational relationships, and the relationship between material and memory through new artistic approaches.
The submission period will run from January 11 to February 8, 2027, until midnight, exclusively online via the official platform of the Triennial. The exhibition itself will be open from October 2027 until March 2028, which is also an important innovation: the extended exhibition period will allow the Triennial to reach a broader audience and create opportunities for a wider range of professional, educational, and community-related programs.
What are the main challenges involved in organizing and promoting a major international event such as the Triennial?
Perhaps the greatest challenge is how we can simultaneously remain open to the international scene, maintain professional credibility, and stay relevant to today’s audience. In addition, of course, securing funding, international communication, and reaching new audiences are also ongoing tasks. Textile art today extends far beyond the boundaries of the classical genre,
so it is also a challenge to define how a Triennial can be both traditional and progressive at the same time. It is important to us to preserve the historical values of textile art while remaining open to new technologies, installation-based or intermedia approaches, and the visual thinking of younger generations.
Looking ahead to future editions, what changes or new directions would you like to introduce in order to strengthen the Triennial’s role and impact within the contemporary art landscape?
We would like to further strengthen the Hungarian Triennial’s international presence and professional standing. As part of this effort, we are making the categories more open, considering a longer exhibition period, and planning more related programs, educational events, and professional gatherings in collaboration with the host institutions. Another key goal is for the International Triennial of Textile Arts held in Hungary to function as a platform that fosters dialogue between textile art, contemporary visual art, design, and social issues. In addition, we would like to place even greater emphasis on building international professional relationships, as well as reaching out to new creative communities and young artists.
What role will emerging artists and new experimental approaches in textile art play in the upcoming edition of the Triennial?
One of the key objectives of the upcoming Triennial is precisely to provide a platform for the next generation of artists and experimental approaches. Contemporary textile art is extremely diverse: an increasing number of artists are working with hybrid techniques, digital technologies, alternative materials, or installation-based forms. We wish to support this openness, while also valuing professional quality and knowledge of the traditions of textile art. For us, the question is not whether something is traditional or innovative, but whether it can function as an authentic and powerful artistic statement. For the long-term future of the Triennial, it is crucial that young artists are also able to connect with this international professional community.
In what ways do you think textile arts today can contribute to the dialogue between tradition, innovation, and contemporary artistic practices?
One of the most exciting aspects of textile art is that it embodies both a very strong cultural tradition and an extremely contemporary way of thinking. The techniques, motifs, and craftsmanship associated with textiles date back centuries, yet today they are imbued with new meanings and new contexts. The themes of identity, memory, and personal connection are closely linked to the “Emberöltő” (“interwoven/generation”) theme. For textiles have always meant more than mere material or utilitarian objects: they are one of our strongest cultural sign systems. For centuries, textiles have signaled where we belong, what community we are part of, and what social or personal history we carry. Perhaps what gives textile art its power today is precisely its ability to connect the past and the present, personal and social stories, tradition and innovation. In this sense, textiles truly function as a kind of “weaving” medium.
Today, an increasing number of artists work in a hybrid manner: they combine manual processes with digital technologies, alternative materials, or installation-based, intermedia approaches. It is this openness that allows textile art to connect simultaneously with the tradition of craft and the most contemporary artistic thinking.
