Above is another photo that Daniel Lismore has shared with us. He will be building a site specific piece in the gallery during December whilst he’s visiting Leamington. I’m sure being so last minute is a little unnerving for the gallery staff organizing the hanging etc but I’m certain it will be fine and there’s not really a better way of dealing with such amazing works!
In other news, the exhibition title has been finalized:
Unravelling History. Unpicking The Collections and Reworking Textile Traditions.
I must admit, we spent a considerable amount of time deliberating over it, wanting it to not only capture the essence of the artwork but also highlight its connection to the gallery’s collections. The tag line bit above is courtesy of Laura Kemshall who is always a whizz at such things! Certainly, all the new work being produced is done as a direct response to the pieces from the collections in the gallery or with commonalitites of subject matter or technique.
In the exhibition, the combination of new and old works will demonstrate how enduring themes have consistently resonated with textile artists and makers throughout history. These include visual inspirations like flowers and decorative techniques, as well as personal narratives and broader political themes such as protest and community building.
The exhibition will also showcase the gallery’s textile collection, featuring rarely-seen artifacts like Caribbean quilts, paintings, botanical books, toys, and fossils. It will also introduce audiences to donations from Amy Mary Spenlove Brown ( who donated a series of her own watercolours, as well as wide range of domestic items including a parasol, boot hooks and embroidery samplers) and Miss Cox, emphasizing the sense of heritage and value that family heirlooms carry.
There’s lots to think about when putting together an exhibition from initially discussing an idea with curators, and then completing formal exhibition proposal forms, explaining to interested parties how the exhibition would work and be of value to the community and be accessible to a wide range of audiences, not just the target audience. Practical planning has to be done once the agreement to proceed has been given, and fellow artists invited to take part, meetings arranged, archives and stores visited to search for for inspirational artefacts, new work planned and made, marketing thought about - logos, colours (we’ve chosen Eating Room Red - a deep red - and Dimity - cream), catalogue layouts, delivery of pieces, workshops, talks, QR codes, hanging, even the lettering on the walls has to be carefully considered - eg did you know that we see best with an 80% contrast? (These last few things are called “interpretive strategy”).
Do come along in January and see the results!
