Whitworth Art Gallery

COTTON Global Threads

I found this exhibition inspiring since the textile artists have thought beyond formal properties and aesthetics of cotton to create contemporary pieces with a deeper meaning, based on the themes of: production, consumption and global trade. 

Lubainia Himid,"Kangas from the
Lost Sample Book", 2011-12, Acrylic

pencil and collage on paper

I love how abstract designs are clearly presented as an ordered composition, consisting of text and image within an elaborate border. An exciting mix of strong colours matches the bold, stylised imagery and adds energy to the piece. Himid paints hidden objects from Museum collections to bring this neglected history into the present. The patterns and slogans were taken from traditional East African garments, providing an intriguing cultural diversity to the work.

Anne Wilson,"Local 
Industry Cloth", 2010

I was drawn to this hand-woven textile due to the extensive length of vibrant shades, which required Wilson plus 78 other experienced weavers to produce. It resembles a large-scale colour wrap, like those created throughout my project, due to the repetition of different sized stripes. Overall it appears to be a disordered mix of lively colours yet small sections reveal specific colour palettes, each conveying a separate mood.

Aboubakar Fofana,"Les Arbres a Bleus",
2007, Metal PVC Sand & Indigo-dyed Cotton

Fofana chooses ancient Mali methods of spinning, weaving and dying local cotton as a resistance to mass-production and globalisation. The contemporary aesthetic, a forest of totem poles, brings alive these cultural traditions since wrapping the cloth around a 3D form shows off the wide variety of patterns created. I like the distinct contrast of shapes, with long poles towering high above small circular fruits scattered over the ground. Indigo dying produces a range of blue shades which symbolises how every tree in a landscape is different. The blue tones suggest quiet nights and clear summer skies, a very calm and serene atmosphere. This is fully conveyed when placed on an empty beach, hushed and still, and its grounding in nature relates to the organic techniques used. An appropriate environment surrounding the artwork is important as it affects the mood and can create a greater impact.