TEXTILE EXHIBITIONS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THIS YEAR
February 23, 2026
“Unseen Threads: Weaving Connections Across Latin American and Caribbean Art
Through January 30, 2026, at the Inter-American Development Bank, Embassy of Mexico, and Embassy of Argentina.
The exhibition celebrates the connections among artists from Latin America and the Caribbean featured in the IDB’s permanent Art Collection. Bringing together a wide range of works, the exhibit brings to light shared experiences of exchange, kinship, material exploration, as well as a deep connection to nature in the artists’ trajectories. It features renowned Latin American and Caribbean artists, such as Olga de Amaral, Gracia Barrios, Fanny Sanín, and Mercedes Pardo, as well as a site-specific commission by Argentine artist Carolina Carubín.
In addition to the main display at the IDB ArtLAC Gallery, “Unseen Threads” is being presented as a multi-venue exhibition with satellite locations at the embassies of Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay in Washington, D.C. All venues were open during Hispanic Heritage Month, creating a collaborative platform to showcase and amplify the artistic heritage of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Source Material: Lessons in Responsible Fashion
Through April 11, 2026, at the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum.
This timely exhibition examines the environmental and ethical stakes of contemporary fashion through the museum’s textile holdings and contemporary design responses. By foregrounding material sourcing, labor, and sustainability, the presentation connects historical textile knowledge to urgent present-day conversations.
Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige
Through June 20, 2026, at the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum.
Textiles take center stage in this richly focused exhibition exploring how equestrian adornment has historically communicated status, authority, and cultural identity across regions. Featuring intricately crafted horse trappings and global textile traditions, the show offers a compelling lens on fiber as both functional object and symbolic language.
Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection
Feb 27 to Jul 26, 2026 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection brings together approximately 80 works by nearly 70 of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Magdalena Abakanowicz, Cecily Brown, Sheila Hicks, Jenny Holzer, Julie Mehretu, Joan Mitchell, Faith Ringgold, Tschabalala Self, Amy Sillman, Lorna Simpson, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Pat Steir, Sarah Sze, Kara Walker, and Zarina. Featuring a wide variety of artworks from the past eight decades—including painting, sculpture, installation, textile, beadwork, and ceramics—the exhibition emphasizes connections between intergenerational and international artists who circumvent and upend conventions in art-making, embracing craft techniques, inventive methods, and alternative materials. Learn more.
Smithsonian Craft Show
April 23–26, 2026, at the National Building Museum.
One of the region’s most important annual craft events returns with a national roster of artists working across fiber, ceramics, wood, jewelry, and mixed media. The fair offers a concentrated view of current craft practice and a strong collector audience.
Interwoven: A Tradition of Textiles
Opening June 6, 2026, at the Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.
Looking ahead to summer, Hillwood’s forthcoming textile exhibition traces the enduring role of fiber arts within decorative traditions. Drawing from the museum’s renowned collections, the presentation highlights craftsmanship, ornament, and the historical circulation of textile forms across cultures.