T K F
GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG
DER TEXTIL - KUNST - FORSCHUNG

A brief history of TKF

The association in support of textile arts research “Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Textil-Kunst-Forschung (TKF)“ has been founded as a non-profit association in Vienna in 1982, Prof. Wilfried Stanzer and Dr. Georg Butterweck acting as proponents. The association’s aim is to enhance the research and deepen the knowledge of the textile arts and to publish recently achieved results. Over the past years a large amount of symposia and international conferences on ethnological textile arts and oriental carpets have been held, numerous releases have been published, and corresponding projects have been met with both advisory and financial support from various museums. In particular, TKF co-operate with UNESCO, the museum of ethnology “Museum für Völkerkunde”, the museum of natural history “Naturhistorisches Museum” in Vienna and the applied arts university “Universität für angewandte Kunst” by both advising students and supporting them financially.

The founding members consisted of several carpet enthusiasts, amongst them were Peter Trimbacher (deceased 2003), Dr. Ernst Albegger, Manfred Leitner, Hubert Borger, Dr. Alfred Janata (deceased 1993) and Karl-Heinz Dietrich. Some of the original members were connected to oriental carpets professionally: the owners of the Viennese carpet store “Teppichhaus Adil Besim OHG” Ferdi Besim and Fritz Langauer and their associates Herbert Payer, Franz Sailer (Vienna-Salzburg) and last but not least, Hannes Bösch, Helmut Reinisch and Paul Konzett from Graz. The number of members increased rapidly and represents approximately a hundred at the present time.

From the beginning up to 1986 Wilfried Stanzer was chairman of TKF, 1986 and 1987 Karl-Heinz Dietrich conducted TKF’s business, from 1988 till 1998 again Wilfried Stanzer. Since then Peter Bichler has been chairman of the society. From 1982 to 1986 Stanzer was the Austrian representative of the carpet trade magazine HALI, acted as ICOC (International Conference on Oriental Carpets) president from 1986 to 1990, as ICOC vice president from 1991 to 1999 and again as president from 1999 to 2003. In 1995 and 2001 he organized the ICOC regional conferences with the topic “Moroccan Carpets” in Marrakesch” and initiated the project “Ait Khozema“ with the aim of re-introducing traditional manufacturing methods for Moroccan carpets and textiles in rural areas, a project he has been the leader of since 1996. At present Peter Bichler acts as a member of the ICOC Executive Committee.

At first, TKF focoused their activities on the research and presentation of oriental carpets and flat-weaves. Meantime, they have widened their focus on textiles from all over the world, too.

Amongst the most important TKF events and publications are:

The exhibition of antique Anatolian carpets of Austrian holders “Antike Anatolische Teppiche aus österreichischem Besitz“ was the first great event organized by TKF. The task of choosing the 60 exhibits from the stocks of Museum für Angewandte Kunst in Wien, the Styrian county museum in Graz, “Joanneum“ as well as of approximately 300 pieces submitted by TKF members was carried out by a jury chaired by Dr. Ernst Albegger. This first TKF show and the release of the pertinent book “Antike Anatolische Teppiche aus österreichischem Besitz“ were a complete success.

The final of this exhibition was a mutton barbecue festival “Hammelfest” celebrated by the organizers. This ritual has been repeated annually ever since, becoming the symbol of TKF’s initiative, sociability and creative urge. At the end of June 2003 TKF arranged the 20th anniversary of this festival, already. This “Hammelfest” has not only been a culinary but also and in patricular a scientific heyday the organizers (Univ.Prof. Dr. Helmut Eberhart, Manfred Leitner and Gert Walter) have been always able to acquire top class lecturers.

The success of this 1983 exhibition having had its effect, TKF took their chance and organized the 5th ICOC (International Conference on Oriental Carpets) in Vienna and Budapest in 1986. Also this conference, lead-managed by TKF in cooperation with the London professional journal HALI and the Iparmüvészeti Muzeum in Budapest, was a striking success. TKF member Horst Lorenz arranged for the world renowned show „Antike Orientteppiche aus österreichischem Besitz“. After careful consideration the TKF was recently able to present 131 carpets in the same publication.

1992 the management decided on TKF’s hitherto largest and financially most elaborate project: a survey of sorts on the most important as yet unpublished textile items of Austrian private owners. They resolved upon the issue of a portfolio of tablets, with the forethought of both supplying a preferably comprehensive inventory and including new insights and fields for compilation, the tablets of which were to be released over a period of several years. Helmut Eberhart, Manfred Leitner and Wilfried Stanzer were concerned with the editorial department, Gert Walter took on the responsibility for the distribution.

The objective of this edition was to provide a first-rate cross section of Austrian collections, ranging from Morocco to Indonesia, from the classical oriental carpet to Art Nouveau, from the piece of art to the complicated Double Ikat weave. The artistic expressiveness of the piece was relevant to its being admitted. The leather portfolios – in yellow, red, and black – were hand-crafted in Morocco. 1999 yielded the first consignment consisting of 24 tablets, 2002 the last issue of the altogether 99 tablets.
The excellent quality of the prints was provided by print shop Jost at Liezen/Styria. A few residual portfolios of this outstanding opus with a limited print run of 400 copies are obtainable at the reduced price of 148 € (originally 185 €) from Gert Walter (Hub, Hubweg 29, A-8046 Stattegg).

Being stimulated by Dr. Peter Baumann, TKF organized a highly regarded exhibition of carpets from Eastern Turkestan and Turkmenia "Gewebt und Geknüpft – aus Linzer Sammlungen" (Woven and knotted – from collections in Linz) in Linz in September 2002. In September 2004 the “group in Linz” presented 67 items at Schloss Aschach castle on the Danube. Amongst the items of the exhibition called „Gewebt und Geknüpft II – Antike Teppiche aus oberösterreichischem Privatbesitz“ (Woven and knotted II – antique carpets from private collections in Upper Austria) were knotted carpets, flat-weaves, coptic fragments as well as Chinese and Persian silk weaves. Lectures on textile techniques and on Tibetan carpets were the scientific highlights.

The first symposium on Hallstatt textiles was organized by TKF at Hallstatt in 2004 in co-operation with the prehistoric department of the Natural History museum in Vienna and the department archaiometrics of the University for Applied Arts in Vienna. The UNESCO commission Austria took on the patronage. The aim of this event was to present to a wide international group of experts the textiles that had been recovered from the salt-mines at Hallstatt – textile witnesses of a prehistoric highly civilized culture – and to promote further excavations, research, treatment and preservation in Austria as well as to inspire young archaeologists, restorers and scientists to increasingly attend to this matter.

The lectures organized by TKF and given by internationally noted specialists (amongst them S. Azadi, M. Bischof, A. Boralevi, H. Böhmer, M. Buddeberg, S. Bunn, R. Chenciner, P. Collingwood, W. Denny, D. Dodds, V. Enderlein, Chr. Erber, M. Flury- Lemberg, H. Harrauer, U. Horak, A. Janata, H. König, B. Matuella, M.-L. Nabholz-Kartaschoff, D. Pelz, R. Pinner, J. Rageth, M. Ryder, F. Spuhler, A. Steinmann, C.M. Suriano, N. Tarrant, E. Tsareva, A. Völker, R. Yamamoto) as well as members of TKF have illuminated the most diverse topics of textile research from oriental carpets to prehistoric textiles. Just to choose a few examples from the last two years’ activities:

2004:
Replica and Forgery – Theodor Tuduc the master forger
Unpublished pre-historic Textiles from Pazyryk

2005:
Naga textiles
Central-Asian Textiles from the Altai Mountains and the Taklamakan Desert
Bogulan Mud Cloths from Mali

2006:
Symposium in Linz (in co-operation with the museum of arts Lentos):
Kelim and modernity – an encounter at the Lentos
In cooperation with Christian Erber and Lentos, the museum of arts in Linz, TKF staged a symposium in Linz: “Kelim and modernity – an encounter at the Lentos” from 3rd to 5th March 2006.

2007:
Crusaders exhibition “Kreuzritter” including a lecture relating to carpets at Schallaburg castle
“Benin” show at the re-opened Völkerkundemuseum Wien (ethnological museum in Vienna)
Presentation of the Dr. Foitl Collection at the re-opened Völkerkundemuseum Wien (museum of ethnology in Vienna)
“IV. Textil & Kulinarium” (4th Textiles & culinary art) – unknown pieces from private collections
Symposium „26th Meeting of Dyes in History and Archeology“ (DHA26) at Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Museum of Natural History in Vienna)