by Katerina Karp, visual artist, volunteer, journalist, creative lead, digital curator
On Saturday, 14 December 2025, the Manchester Museum will host a showcase organised by BGTC Club. The exhibition Threads of Connection explores textiles as one of humanity’s oldest and most potent symbols. Through fabric, it examines connections between the body, memory, society, and the environment, linking past and future.
The display brings together historical and contemporary objects: a firefighter’s smart jacket, bound-foot shoes, an imperial Dragon Robe, the restored Loess Plateau landscape, and a twenty-two-metre-long scroll depicting life in Beijing. Each piece illustrates how textiles can protect, constrain, convey authority, connect communities, and reflect social relations.
Particular attention is given to the work of SODA students, who employ digital media and sound to reinterpret textiles, creating a bridge between tradition and the future.
The exhibition demonstrates that cloth is more than a material: it is a map of relationships, a record of encounters, and a bridge between worlds.