Author: Textile Study Group

Another TSG member needing no introduction is Sian Martin who is very well known to textile enthusiasts world wide through her Distant Stitch textile courses with students as far away as Australia and New Zealand as well as closer to home. Sian is also one of the TSG tutors running workshops at Stroud while the exhibition is running, so what, I asked her, was she working on for DIS/rupt?

I have been moved by the desperate plight of refugees as they flee their homes due to war and hunger. I have long been interested in movement and journeys whether of birds, people, tides, clouds and the visual repetitive rhythms that these can suggest. A few years ago, I delighted in recording my own journeys by placing a pen on a sketchbook page and letting the pen record the vibrations of the journey, whether by bus or train.

I was also intrigued by the photographs by Eduard Muybridge and the paintings by Duchamp of figures in movement.

My piece for DIS/rupt aims to tell the story of a different journey – the long flight of one young refugee I met last year. I was so moved by his individual story. Like thousands of others, Ahmed experienced the horrors of displacement from his home when he was 15 years old. His father was a nomadic farmer in Afghanistan and the family lived in peace until Isis came and stole his two sisters. They returned to take him away and shot and killed his father when he tried to stop them. His mother told him to run as she kissed him on the cheek.

He escaped and made his way alone through Europe, meeting up with others on the same long journey to safety. Ahmed arrived in the UK after several years in the ‘Jungle’ at Calais. He is currently cared for by the Medical Foundation as part of ‘Freedom from Torture’ (Amnesty International). Ahmed was recently given a few days retreat in Somerset and I was pleased to meet him briefly. He shared his story to his host, my friend, and told her ‘I can still feel her kiss on my cheek’. Ahmed has no way of discovering what has happened to his mother.

What are the materials and processes that you are working with?

Fragments of fabric, some symbolic of the clothing worn by this young teenager such as denim, some with imagery, some with text, have been threaded into long narrow converging bands on fine stainless steel thread using a pleater.

Are you able to give us an idea of the scale of your piece?

My textile is a long, narrow textile that I hope suggests Ahmed’s long journey and will be over 4 metres.

 Is the finished piece to be free standing or wall mounted?

It will be wall-hung so you can ‘read’ the story – a long strip, reading from left to right.

What message do you hope the viewers of your work will take away from the exhibition?

I would like viewers to be moved by the plight of this individual boy to raise awareness of this huge tragedy that is happening to multitudes of others. I hope I have been able to use a visual language to tell this story, starting on the left as the story develops along the length to the right. I’ve used the language of colour as it changes – draining from the strong bright colours of a happy life to bleached and subdued; the language of texture as it changes to fabrics that become worn and frayed; the language of spacing as it changes from closely grouped to spaced, separated and scattered. Occasional elements of imagery to suggest figures and stitched text introduces portions of Ahmed’s words – ‘I can still feel her kiss on my cheek’.

You are one of the TSG tutors running workshops during the DIS/rupt exhibition, briefly, what can your students expect from the class

My workshop is called ‘Zen Stitch’. I hope this will intrigue students as it did me when I first experienced this approach. How often have you been confused by all the choices you have available – what method do you use, what colour do you choose, what shapes do you make and where do you start? See what happens when you don’t need to make those decisions and can just enjoy ‘doing’. See how it feels to be spontaneous in the middle of your busy day and experience a brief time of calm and creativity. I’m not giving any more away, but you won’t find out unless you try it.

The workshop sounds really intriguing Sian and will be of enormous interest to those who will be joining you. And what an amazing story about your piece but how wonderful to be able to put into fabric and stitch the story of this young man. I wonder if  he will be able to see how his story inspired you.

If you would like to see Sian’s work and all the other pieces for DIS/rupt and if you are interested in Sian’s or any of the TSG workshops on while the exhibition is open then look on our website at TSG

Booking for the TSG workshops and further details about the Symposium DIS/rupting Tradition:New Textile Languages: New Textile Languages featuring contributions from Alice Kettle, June Hill, Melanie Miller and Michelle Stephens can be found at SIT select 2017

Penny Burnfield always produces thought provoking work and her pieces for DIS/rupt are  no exception. With this in mind I was interested to find out a little more about the work she has produced for the exhibition so asked her the area of the DIS/rupt project she was investigating or exploring.

My subject is, perhaps, the ultimate disruption: War, and in particular the disruption of the lives of young people who are manipulated or drafted into the Forces to “defend their country”

Can you tell us something about the piece you are working on for DIS/rupt?

I am making two pieces that have their starting points in a couple of well-known war poems and a first world war recruiting song. One -The Old Lie- will be a ‘coffin’ draped in a ‘flag’ that bears the inscription “Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori”. This saying – which dates back to ancient Rome – means “It is sweet and honourable to die for your country”.

The second piece – His Work is Done – consists of some ‘found’ military objects from various countries and eras on which I am embroidering phrases from the 1914 song “Your King and Country Want You”, which will be on a CD player for the viewer to listen to on headphones.

What are the materials and processes that you are working with?

Textiles play their part in war – not just as flags and uniforms, but as containers for all sorts of equipment from collapsible spades to hand grenades. I have collected some American WW2 gaiters, a water-bottle and its cover, probably Dutch, and a Soviet-era Gas Mask and its bag. All are made of military canvas in various shades of Khaki. I have also used some old sheets that belonged to my parents that I have dyed in various shades of grey to make my flag. I am working with bonded appliqué and hand-stitching: the gaiters are very tough to stitch on!

Are you able to give us an idea of the scale of your piece?

The ‘coffin’ is life size. It would fit me rather well!

Is the finished piece to be free standing or wall mounted?

The ‘coffin’ is free standing and the collection of military objects will be wall hung. I hope that, together, they will form a coherent installation.

What message do you hope the viewers of your work will take away from the exhibition?

I hope people will reflect on consequences of war, and when, if ever, war can be justified.

Thank you, Penny. In these uncertain and unsettling times it is something for all of us to consider. I know your work will resonate with the visitors to the exhibition.

Full information about the exhibition can be found here TSG and booking details and information about the workshops being run by TSG members can be found here SIT select 2017

It’s becoming more and more exciting as we near the opening of DIS/rupt and for anyone thinking of attending the symposium Disrupting Tradition: New Textile Languages  information can be found at Symposium. Speakers at this event include Alice Kettle, June Hill, Michelle Stephens and our curator for DIS/rupt, Melanie Miller. Sounds really exciting and will be stimulating.

Our studio posting this week is with Ann Wheeler who as a tutor and TSG member will be well known to many people. During a quiet moment over coffee I asked Ann about her work for DIS/rupt.

Ann, can you tell me which area of the DIS/rupt project you are investigating or exploring?

Disruption to people’s lives has happened in the past in many ways. As a practising lacemaker with an ancestor listed in the 1851 census as a lacemaker, I was interested in exploring how the industrial evolution had affected their lives.

Can you tell us something about the piece you are working on for DIS/rupt?

The early lace-makers, many of whom lived in rural areas, worked 9 to 10 hours in order to supplement the family income. Children, both boys and girls were sent to lace schools at an early age to be instructed in the skills. I am focussing on trying to illustrate this in my piece.

What are the materials and processes that you are working with?

Antique lace, contemporary bobbin lace worked in paper yarn and stitched lettering.

Are you able to give us an idea of the scale of your piece and will it be free standing or wall mounted?

130cms x 70cms approx. and will be wall mounted

Thank you Ann for this fascinating insight. In our age of manufactured lace, produced on an industrial scale, it is all too easy to forget the hours necessary, not to say the amazing skill, in the production of lace. I think even a look at the ‘tools of the trade’, the complexity of working with bobbins and the fine needles, are testament to the place in our heritage these women deserve.

All information about DIS/rupt can be found at the group’s website TSG

Further information and booking details about the workshops running concurrently can be found at the link here SIT select 2017

Also information about the Symposium can be found on the SIT select 2017 website at Symposium

Looking forward to seeing you all in Stroud.

Organising an exhibition of this scale requires team work and to take the germ of an idea through to the hanging and opening involves hours of work for many people. However our Exhibition Convenor for DIS/rupt is Sarah Burgess, well known as an artist and tutor and it has been her role, amongst many others, to maintain an overview of all the details and keep the project moving forward. As well as the organisation Sarah has also found time to produce work for the exhibition. At our recent weekend meeting Sarah spent a lot of time discussing with various members different aspects of the work needing to be done to have the exhibition open as planned. So I was really pleased that despite her busy schedule Sarah was able to sit and tell me about her piece for DIS/rupt. I started by asking her which area of the DIS/rupt project she was investigating or exploring?

I am working with ideas about global warming and the disruption that will result due to rising sea levels.

Can you tell us something about the piece you are working on for DIS/rupt?

I am making two pieces of work to reflect the likely effect of a 2 degree and a 4 degree rise in global temperatures and the resulting increase in sea levels on ten world cities.

What are the materials and processes that you are working with?

I am using the differing properties of fibres in a range of hand stitch threads to wick dye up into a piece of stitched cotton organdie so that it gradually turns blue drowning in dye and picking out the white stitching so that the words and statistics become more visible before they disappear into the cloth. The results are unpredictable it all depends on the temperature and the dampness of the fabric. But this reflects the risk and uncertainty of global warming and the unpredictable nature of the flooding.

One piece of cloth is being dyed now but the other will be dyed during the course of the exhibition, changing its appearance during the exhibition.

Are you able to give us an idea of the scale of your piece?

I expect there to be two pieces about 140 long by 54 wide – but we will see!

Is the finished piece to be free standing or wall mounted?

Mounted away from the wall on brackets – I think

What message do you hope the viewers of your work will take away from the exhibition?

I hope the work will bring a difficult scientific statistical subject to life and demonstrate the literal flooding process. I cannot be sure what will happen with the dye, it is risky and full of uncertainty – as is the risk of burning of fossil fuels and ignoring the danger of global warming.

You are one of the TSG tutors running workshops during the DIS/rupt exhibition, briefly, what can your students expect from the class?

I am running two half day workshops entitled Lost and Found – disrupted which will give students a chance to build a collection of mono-printed papers and fabrics. We will cut and piece the papers, disrupting and overlaying cut-outs on cloth to build a collaged piece of work and beginning to stitch into the piece to secure and develop the design. Students can either bring their own found objects to work from or use the items I provide.

Students will be able to complete the piece in their own time.

That sounds very exciting Sarah and I am sure visitors will be fascinated to see how your piece changes during the course of the exhibition. Thank you for taking time out of your weekend to talk to me.

For details about all the workshops being run during the exhibition then please click this link to the SIT select 2017 website. More information about DIS/rupt can be found here TSG

More interviews will be published  in the coming weeks as we enter the final countdown to the opening of the exhibition. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter at these links.