Fabric fish and sequined starfish

When I visited the British Museum, London, this week to see the Sicily exhibition, I found an added bonus.  Installed in the Great Court is a creative response to their Sunken Cities exhibition.  Sunken Cities: Egypt's Lost Worlds, tells the story of archaeological sites beneath the Mediterranean at the mouth of the Nile where two cities, submerged for over a thousand years are being explored.  In the Great Court, that exhibition was now interpreted in thread and fabric.

The Sunken Cities exhibition itself includes a large number of objects from huge statues to items of everyday use. Interspersed between the historic items are films and images of the divers face to face with the giant statues now on display.  I visited it a few weeks ago.  Whilst there were many wonders to behold, myself, and the friend I was with, found ourselves losing track of where everything fitted in.  Perhaps it needs a second visit or more likely, I need to read up a little more on Ancient Egyptian history. 

The installation of textile art, Underwater Discoveries, which references both the Egyptian history and also its underwater discovery, is on display until the end of August.  The work is a collaboration between local community groups and artists from the Mary Ward Centre, an adult education college in central London.

The range of techniques used seem representative of the college itself, which runs classes in a range of subjects including printing, embroidery, and beadwork.  

I particularly liked the embroidered star fish (third image from top) but also the jelly fish (above, far right), which are almost translucent against their background - just like real jelly fish often are.

The Sicily exhibition I had gone to visit, was also very interesting.  This display focused on two periods of history, first when the island was invaded by the Greeks (about 734BC) and then when the Normans took over from Arab rule (c.1091).  Both eras created opportunities for cultural exchange.  

Of particular interest from the viewpoint of textile history, was the Norman Kingdom of Sicily (1061-1194), created by a dynasty that reigned over a fragile but tolerant society of Jews, Muslims, Orthodox Greeks, Byzantines, Christian Normans and Italians. This was partly due to Roger II's desire to bring scholars of all races and faiths together, which in turn allowed the creation of new types of art and architecture in the building of his Norman Palace of Palermo.  

Too fragile to be moved, the coronation cloak of Roger II with gold embroidered silk, pearls, enamel plaques and precious jewels is an example of cultural exchange, represented here by a printed satin replica (made in 1993).  Made within a Byzantine empire the original was embroidered by Muslims in Sicily living under a Christian ruler.  An Arabic inscription around its border includes blessings and statements regarding the virtue of the king.  The main design of the robe is of lions attacking camels, either side of a Tree of Life.  The date tree developed from a Middle Eastern symbol of fertility and immortality, later (through the trade of silk textiles) also became a symbol of resurrection and immortality (ie, a representation of the Christian faith).  The symbolism of the lions triumphing over the camels represents Roger's tolerance of his Muslim subjects, but also his dominance.  This is a robe with very definite political and propaganda messages.

Alongside this cloak replica are fragments of the funerary robe and mitre of Henry VI of Sicily - Islamic gold thread techniques are combined with horizontal repetitions of motifs typical of of North Western Europe.  Unfortunately through the glass they are not easy to see in any detail.

Sicily - continues at the British Museum until 14 August 2016 - ticket purchase required

Underwater Discoveries - continues at the British Museum until 31 August 2016 (free)

Sunken Cities: Egypt's Lost Worlds - continues at the British Museum until 27 November 2016 - ticket purchase required

Thirty years embroidering Chelmsford

To celebrate 30 years of the Chelmsford branch of the UK Embroiderer's Guild, we held a small party.

We had an exhibition of work - a huge variety of styles and techniques.

The Mayor of Chelmsford attended to make the proceedings a little more special.

And there was food - not least of all a very special cake.  Here the cake is being cut by the mayor and some of our founding members.

A gathering of Miss Havershams

Is there a word for a gathering of Miss Havershams?  It is not something you come across every day?

I came across them and lots of other expressions of creativity when I visited the Octopus* group's annual textile exhibition.  It is only on for a few days and finishes on Saturday 16 July 2016.  The display is within St Mary's Church in Billericay High Street, Billericay in Essex (UK).

This is just a small selection of the work on display and once again I spent more time talking and not enough taking photographs.  Also apologies for not noting down the artists' names.

Entry is free.    The exhibition is open 10am until 4pm.  Tea/coffee and a cake is £2.  Some work is for sale.

*Octopus - so called because there are eight members in the group

Festival of Textiles

Last weekend the Eastern Region of the Embroiderer's Guild held their annual meeting and this year it was the turn of Hertfordshire to run the day.  We had two speakers, plenty of retail therapy, exhibitions, competitions and demonstrations.  I was particularly interested to see an exhibition of work inspired by Hertfordshire archives - why I didn't take any photos I don't know.

Our first speaker was Diane Springall, who talked about working to commission - its pitfalls and pleasures, but for me the highlight of the day was the second speaker, Michele Carragher who works in the TV and film industry.  One of her main areas of work is embroidering the costumes for HBO television's Game of Thrones series. As well as an insight into working in this pressured industry, it was interesting to hear how the characters were represented by their costumes, and that the embroidery was part of this.

Another element of this work was the use of insignia for each of the families - a sort of coat of arms that reflected kinship and ancestry.  Michele very kindly brought some examples of her work for us to scrutinise afterwards and it is worth checking her website for more information and some beautiful images.

It was also lovely to catch up with other members - some of whom I only meet at events such as these, though some it was just a passing "hello".  I even managed to submit a piece of work into the competition, and though it did not win a prize I was pleased I had been a part of the display. 

A moment of reflection

Whatever form art takes, it always includes time for thinking.  Textile artists are always asked "how long did that take?" but rarely does anyone ask "how much thinking did you do to get that result?" Sadly stitching is often admired for dexterity and patience before intellectual content.

Conceptual and installation art is very much about thinking - and last Saturday I discovered a work that was particularly powerful in that respect.  The work Skylights is an installation piece by Ken Wilder, set in an old Victorian building of the remains of the London Foundling Hospital.  Two pyramidal roof lights have been set into the ceilings and are set to be at their best at noon or with the evening sun, when the light reflects straight down on to the pool of water below visually doubling the space.  Unable to visit at noon I was still able to watch the light reflect off the water as well as the remains of the glass tiled walls.  The walls had been painted, but the artist has removed what paint he could to reveal their original texture.  

Although offered a chance to splash in the water, a return to work after a lunch break meant I had to decline.  However, the artist himself was happy to walk through the pool making the surface ripple and the reflections shimmer.

The blue light coming from one of the ceiling pieces looked like neon light but was in fact the effect of light shining through the tarpaulin covering the room.  

As beautiful as the light and reflections were, there was another important reflection for this work. which related to its previous use - the building was originally the children's mortuaries.  I knew the boys and girls had been separated in life (until well into the 20th century) but had not realised that they had also been separated in death.  The building is due for demolition but the installation has meant it has been fully documented.  It will be replaced by the new Queen Elizabeth II Centre allowing Coram to help more disadvantaged children and families.  This work seemed a fitting tribute to the unknown lives who would have rested here with no family to mourn their passing.

So although not a very textile focused blog it does emphasise an aspect of textile art often forgotten, at a time when reflection and remembrance are particularly important as tomorrow's centenary commemorations highlight.

E.A.S.T at Teddington

It is always interesting to see old work in a new venue, and sometimes it is the limitations of the venue that means work has to be displayed differently.  This is the case for my own work currently part of the E.A.S.T group exhibition, Between the Lines at the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington. Previously my work had been hung against a wall, but this was not so easily done at this particular venue.  The exhibiting area is a vast space for all our work, being a decommissioned church - a huge one at that, but a beautiful space for an exhibition that is fundamentally about remembrance. My friend Melinda kindly supplied a pole, and the work was very carefully displayed by another friend Susan.  On Tuesday it was my first opportunity to see the exhibition in its new setting as Susan, Carol and myself were booked for a talk about our work at the gallery.

My piece, Treasure, Hope and Friendship, relates to three women who in small ways made a big difference to the lives of many during WW1.  Lady Smith-Dorrien set up a charity (The Lady Smith-Dorrien Hospital Bag Fund) to make small drawstring bags - essential repositories officially for personal documents that had been getting lost in the hospital stations.  The bags also became places for wounded soldiers to hold "treasures" - a bible, a gift from home, a letter, a photo even tiny teddy bears.  My bags, displayed in a line, reference the fact that it was a line of work that made the charity successful - from stitcher to a collection point, then transported and distributed to the various hospital ships and stations.

The Times newspaper frequently reported on the bags - how plain ones got lost so they had to be replaced (hopefully by a floral one, made from old curtaining), how some were embroidered with messages of hope, how men traumatised by war found comfort in their own personal treasures safely held together in a simple cotton bag.

The other two women I researched were Lena Ashwell, actress, who brought Shakespeare and other theatre to the Front Line, and Maud Grieve, herbalist.  When supplies were short people once again returned to old remedies and Mrs Grieve was able to advise through leaflets and training on how to safely use herbal medicines.  Consequently most bags has an embroidered herb, with text explaining its medicinal use and a quote from Shakespeare.

Landmark Arts Centre is a lovely venue with lovely staff and it has been a pleasure to work with them.  On Sunday (26 June 2016) it is the Teddington Fair and alongside E.A.S.T are running drop in workshops (free from noon until 4pm) under the title Ready, Steady, Stitch - although we have some paper activities too.  The exhibition will be open to view while we are there - and stays until 10 July 2016.

Two trips to The Tate

I have never had to queue to get into Tate Modern before, but yesterday was a very special day.  I was one of the lucky few (or should that read "lucky many") who were allowed in to the Members' Preview event before the public opening of the new Switch House.  The sun was shining, the queue moved quickly and there seemed to be a feeling of excitement as we waited our turn to get through the doors.

The building is very industrial in design but there are plenty of seats and space, particularly on the first level up where I found the new "Between Object and Architecture" gallery.  I was especially pleased to see a large number of works by women artists, and work I had not seen on display at the gallery before.  Throughout the Switch House there were also a lot of textile pieces.  On Level 3 I found the "Performer and Participant" gallery, the first piece of which was a display of Suzanne Lacey's The Crystal Quilt (1985-7), which includes a traditional patchwork quilt alongside images (still and film) of the performance work itself.  This floor also included a whole room of work by Rebecca Horn's body sculptures - exploring ideas of contact between individuals and their environment.  On Level 4, as well as the "Living Cities" gallery, there was an Artist Room dedicated to the later works of Louise Bourgeois, many of which are textile pieces.

Trying to take in the new building, the new art works, the new type of spaces for art (such as The Tanks) - it definitely needs more than one visit.  It was quite refreshing to go to the very top of the Switch House and its viewing gallery.  Not only was it a chance to get some fresh air, I was able to enjoy a new view over London.

I was in fact very pleased that only a couple of weeks ago I had visited the "old" Tate Modern for the Mona Hatoum retrospective - it too has many elements of embroidery and weaving (though often using unusual materials such as hair or pasta).  Hatoum's work can be political but also very thought provoking and I had planned a second visit.  However I thought after walking from Liverpool Street Station, all the walking in the Switch House, all the up and down of the stairs, it would be better to return another day.  Particularly as when I last visited I also discovered that the Boiler House (what used to be the whole Tate Modern building) had been completely re-organised, so that too seems like a new set of galleries.

If there was a drawback to the day, it was the fact that due to the popularity of the event, I never got to try out the lifts - they were always full and there were always queues.  Oh my poor knees!