Tradition and Metamorphosis. Thread-embroidered textiles from the Transylvanian Plain and their reinterpretations

The Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography, a public cultural institution operating under the authority of the Cluj County Council, invites you to attend the opening of the exhibition ‘Tradition and Metamorphosis. Thread-embroidered textiles from the Transylvanian Plain and reinterpretations’, which will take place on 20 August 2026 at 5.00 pm at the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania, 21 Memorandumului Street.

The rich textile art of the Hungarian communities in the Transylvanian Plain has attracted the interest of specialists since the first half of the 20th century. In 2022, the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography presented visitors a selection of home textiles produced and used in this region, featuring embroidery based on designs.

On this occasion, the Trasylvanian Museum of Ethnography, in partnership with the ‘Kallós Zoltán’ Foundation in Răscruci, invites visitors to explore the world of thread-counting embroidery (cross-stitch cruciuliță, overcast stitch broderie peste fir, cutwork tăieturi).

The exhibition pays tribute to the folklorist, ethnographer and collector Kallós Zoltán, to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth.

The objects preserved in museum collections often serve as models or sources of inspiration for contemporary creations. The designs of several original textiles from the ‘Kallós Zoltán’ Ethnographic Collection have been given a new lease of life at the Kéz-Mű-Hely open workshop in Budapest. Thus, alongside pieces dating from the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, visitors will be able to admire modern creations alongside the heritage pieces that served as their inspiration.

The exhibition will be open from 20 August to 20 September 2026, from Wednesday to Sunday, between 10.00 and 18.00, at 21 Memorandumului Street.