Bologna hosts embroidery exhibition exploring silk industry history

The exhibition ‘TRAMATE. Il filo, l’acqua e le donne’ will be held at the Opificio delle Acque Centro Didattico – Documentale from February 5 to February 8, 2026, as part of the Art CityCanali di Bologna project.

Created by artist Elena Ciarrocchi, the exhibition explores the historical connection between Bologna’s canal system and the legacy of women embroiderers who fueled the silk industry from the 14th century onward. The display features a collection of marine fauna works created through traditional gold embroidery.

The exhibition includes a site-specific installation designed to create a dialogue between Ciarrocchi and Mabel of Bury St. Edmunds, a medieval embroiderer of the Opus Anglicanum tradition. An interactive element also allows the public to engage with a loom using needle and thread.