CLOTH AND MEMORY 2 EXHIBITION REVIEW

Yesterday, i went to the Cloth and memory 2 exhibition in Saltaire in Bradford, i had no idea what to expect from the exhibition, only that it is a very craft based exhibition. Upon entering Salts mill i was automatically struck by the atmosphere of the room, rather than the work, however, i don't think that is a bad thing, i am a design and print based textile worker, so the work did not appeal hugely to me.

After going around the exhibition the work was all aesthetically pleasing, however from looking at the work and reading the exhibition guide i still couldn't quite grasp what the work was about. so i sat down and listened to a short video about each of the exhibitions which really opened my mind to them, after the video, i went back around and looked at the exhibits again which was a much more pleasing experience some of the work was outstanding.

Although the work does not directly relate to my own practice there were still a few that took my eye for different reasons.

KATSURA TAKASUKA (JAPAN) 
emerging artist using the waste production from spooling silk from the cacoon to the reel and compressing into small cubes. the exhibition hold 13 cubes, each individual and unique.

what i like about these blocks is how he has used a recycled silk transforming it into a 3D form which is what u want to experiment with in my practice. 

YORIKO YONEYAMA (JAPAN)

A japanese artist whose installation comprises a suspended web of dried rice threaded on fine cotton. Yoriko's intention is to link those overlocked elements which are essential to our survival and our culture heritage: food and clothing - rice and fibre.

when i first set my eyes on this piece i assumed/thought that it was made up of little plastic, or rubber pieces something similar to what is produced from a glue gun, but after reading about it and finding out it was dried rice i was amazed, i love how he has used such a raw material to create such a vast piece, which gives me hope, and inspiration that a large scale 3D piece is possible. I am still unsure what the purpose of the mirrors are in this piece but if i let my mind free i feel like they are part of expanding the insertion, and from a printers point of view i feel the piece is inspired by the architecture of the building which is reflected in the mirrors. There was a lot of structure on the ceiling of the building which was very inspiring for pattern. The ceiling of the mill also let through a lot of light, which i tried to capture the beauty of in a picture, but i couldn't quite get it.

MACHIKO AGANO (JAPAN)

One of the foremost textile artists in Japan with an international reputation and work in major museums throughout the world. for cloth and memory 2 her large scale installation pieces reflect the importance of water in the production of cloth and the revolutionary recycling of rainwater at salts mill through contemporary use of the traditional Yuzen dying technique. 

i like the scale of these pieces and the thought behind it but i dont feel like link between the concept and the prints has come across very well. To me, the prints feel immature and child like, and although i like exploring colour i dont get the sense that the chosen colour in these prints go with the concept behind cloth and memory in relation to the mill.

other artists from the exhibition whos work i found interesting were DIANA  HARRISON (UK), who has a reputation for her radical quilts, she took inspiration from the tiled floor in the mill and created an installation that represents a new development in her work, being made up of over-dyed and discharged printed handkerchiefs laid on the floor following the pattern of the flagstones. I am interested in how she took the handkerchiefs, dyed them, and gave them a new meaning.

i also like the shapes, colour and texture of these handkerchiefs.

ANNIE HARRISON (UK)

who works with new technologies, she recorded interviews with local people who use ipads to draw maps of the mill as they remembered it, recovering lost memories and hidden narratives. New technology is something i would like to explore in my own practice, especially digital and 3D techniques so this is an interesting way of working which i may try out. working in a sketchbook is how i would usually work, however, working on an iPad and digitally would be a great way to link in digital drawing to my digital printing exploration.

i love how interactional this is with the viewer

Other pictures of exhibits work, RACHEL GRAY (UK)

 CAREN GARFEN (UK)

Finally, after viewing the exhibition i decided to go to the end of the exhibition, sit down, and do some drawing, i did it from the end of the room so that i could work with scale, view finders, colour and shapes of the room itself and the positioning of the exhibits, i was pleased with my outcome but rather than being inspired by the exhibits themselves, i got my drawing inspiration from the texture on the walls, the shapes on the ceiling and the light in the room. i thought about the media i was using and decided to keep it quite limited using pen, pencil and felt tip. I kept grey scale because i couldn't find much colour in the room, un till i went into the entrance hall and came across Peta Jacobs work which i gained some photographic inspiration, finding colour and shape from the light behind his installation, 

this was drawn from the shapes on the floor tiles 

drawn from the layout of the room including Maxine Bristow's piece

ceiling shapes

lighting shapes

Shapes and patterns on one of the walls

This was taken from the snippet of light from one of the wall cavities 

 These pictures were taken using a slow shutter on a sony SLR, movement and light from Peta Jacobs work, i am more than happy with the outcome of these pictures as i am doing a collection on the exploration of light through photography.

To take a look at the exhibition yourself just go to http://www.clothandmemory.com where they have a really detailed website with some amazing videos and photographs.