Ripples & Ribes by Jennie Moncur, 2015
Following the success of 'Here & Now: Contemporary Tapestry' - I have been invited to curate a new exhibition building on some of the themes that emerged that earlier exhibition.
In 'Weaving New Worlds' 15 women artists from the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Japan weave the stories of our time: the possibilities, the hopes and lost chances. Using the traditional hand woven tapestry techniques that connect us to the past, they have taken contemporary images and events, personal dreams and feelings. The tapestries range in subject matter, from intimate mother and child relationships and reflections of rural mythologies, to floods and urban decay. Always at the heart of the work is the human condition, the artists offering us both a utopian and dystopian view - the choice is ours.
News about the artists taking part will be published here soon.
EROTIC CLOTH BOOK LAUNCH EVENTS
Alice Kettle and I have been fully engaged in the Events organised to launch our book the Erotic Cloth. The first event was on February 10th at Midland Arts Centre (MAC) Birmingham. On this occasion Masako Matsushita performed UN/DRESS, an extended version of the performance at The Art Workers Colloquium. It was totally involving and moving.
Following the Performance, Alice and I were 'in conversation' with Jessica Litherland, Producer Visual Arts at MAC, who then opened the discussion to the whole audience.
The second event took the form of a Seminar at Manchester Metropolitan University. Alice and I presented a formal Introduction to the book, followed by presentations from book contributors Claire Jones and Angela Maddock discussed their chapters while Nigel Hurlstone had written a totally new paper. The event was rounded off by book contributor Malcolm Garrett giving a guided tour of his exhibition with wonderful anecdotes about the clothes and the period.
The third and final launch event took place at The Art Workers Guild in London, which brought the whole experience full circle, as this was the venue for the original Colloquium. link to the original Colloquium. Again Alice and I presented a formal Introduction and then handed over to Mary Schoeser who has written the Foreword to the book. The themes of the book were further developed both Mary's presentation, through her inclusion of scientific thinking, followed by book contributors Caroline Wintersgill and Savithri Bartlett who extended their reference to their chapter on Blade Runner by including Blade Runner 2049.
Overall the launch events were a fantastic opportunity to explore responses to the various themes with the public,. At each event the book sold out and we understand that internationally the book is selling very well indeed: BUY THE BOOK