Five rug and textile exhibitions for March

February 24, 2026

The upcoming month promises a rich lineup of rug and textile exhibitions. From must-see displays coming to a close to exciting new openings, here is our pick of five rug and textile shows to visit this March.

1. ‘The Weaves of the Dragon – Chinese Carpets of the Imperial Dynasties’, MITA Cultural Centre, Brescia

Currently on show at MITA in Brescia, Italy, this exhibition features an impressive selection of Chinese carpets from the Ming and Qing dynasties from the Zaleski Collection, alongside works created in the oasis cities of present-day Xinjiang, such as Kashgar, Yarkand and Khotan—ancient crossroads of the Silk Roads. Dragons, lotus flowers, Buddhist motifs, mythical figures and geometric designs tell of a world rich in symbolic and ritualistic meaning, in which the carpet becomes a cultural map, an object of meditation and a symbol of power. This show is running until 6 April.

‘The Weaves of the Dragon – Chinese Carpets of the Imperial Dynasties’, MITA Cultural Centre, Brescia

2. ‘On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival’, Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois

On view at the Art Institute of Chicago, this show reveals how individuals use textiles to sustain spiritual belief and cope with death and grief. Over one hundred objects are presented, ranging from burial masks, ceremonial garments and funerary hangings, to mourning and mending samplers, quilts, shrouds, tapestries and vestments. An article in HALI 226 called ‘Facing Death’ draws from an accompanying book, edited by the curators, Isaac Facio, Nneka Kai, L. Vinebaum and Anne Wilson. Don’t miss the chance to see this show before it closes on 15 March.

Installation view of ‘On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival’, Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois

3. ‘Yellow and Blue – Two Centuries of Chinese Textile Art’, Mirco Cattai Gallery, Milan

Held at the Mirco Cattai Gallery in Milan until 15 March, this show offers a dialogue between the solemnity of Tang-era terracotta and the refined elegance of high-quality Ningxia and Peking carpets, made between the 18th–19th centuries. Imperial yellows and deep blues define a rigorously symbolic universe, where rarefied geometries and figurative motifs alternate with balance and restraint. This show takes visitors along a journey of the Silk Road, connecting the power of sculpture with the discipline of knotting and the quality of textiles.

Installation of ‘Yellow and Blue – Two Centuries of Chinese Textile Art’, Mirco Cattai Gallery, Milan

4. ‘Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige’, The George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum, Washington D.C

In this new show, sixty luxurious equestrian textiles document more than a thousand years of global history through the lens of equine culture. The show’s wide geographic scope and technical variety underscore the historical importance of horses in human society, and reveal the lifestyles, artistic and cultural traditions, and belief systems of the communities who adorned their horses with these finely crafted textiles. This exhibition opened alongside the launch of a new book, ‘Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige, 6th–20th Centuries’, by Hali Publications, available to buy now through our bookshop.

Horse cover, Iran, Farahan, circa 1850-1900. The Textile Museum Collection 2021.17.4. In ‘Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige’, The George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum, Washington D.C

5. Opening of the new Permanent Textiles and Carpets Collection, MAK Museum Vienna

The MAK Museum’s textiles and carpets collection is among the most significant and comprehensive of its kind worldwide. It encompasses objects ranging from late antiquity to the present day, from European to East Asian textile traditions. At the heart of the collection is an outstanding group of carpets, with a particular emphasis on rare and exceptional Persian and Mamluk examples from the 16th and 17th centuries—one of the most distinguished holdings within this field. The display situates the carpets within a broader textile context, placing them in dialogue with other outstanding works from the collection. This new display will open on 25 March.