Copy, Paste, Profit
Some of history’s most dangerous ideas never went out of style
Discover the dark and tangled tales of Indian design woven through this historic textile collection.
Behind the beauty and eclecticism of the designs, these objects are threaded with uncomfortable histories of exploitation and erasure. In this tour led by library experts, stories of colonial appropriation, commercial profiteering and technological threats will be exposed.
How do we reckon with objects made by hands we’ve since denied or patterns copied from other cultures and never credited? These same questions echo loudly today in fast-fashion supply chains, appropriated motifs and the labour behind the clothes we wear.
Dangerous Excursions is a tour series delivered in partnership with the Festival of Dangerous Ideas and Sydney’s cultural institutions, exploring objects that are too controversial, fragile or complex for public view.
Caroline Simpson Library
The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000- Cafe
- Wheelchair accessible
More from the Caroline Simpson Library
Diana Luxton Messara: public interior designer
The Diana Luxton Messara archive, generously donated by the designer herself, contains drawings, plans, textile designs, photographs, correspondence, publications, sample boards and personal papers spanning more than five decades.
Fatshaudi commissioned works
We commissioned a range of musicians to create new compositions for Dream Feast in response to sheet music held in the Caroline Simpson Library Collection. One of the musicians, Fatshaudi (Brisbane-based producer Rachael Ryan), shares her experience
On a tour with palms: a botanical foray into the Caroline Simpson Library
A search for palms in the museum collections took this researcher on a journey back to a time when these plants were considered an essential addition to the tasteful home