Group exhibition directed by Lesley Millar, Professor of Textile Culture, UCA

Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich, 29 Jan – 1 June 2008
Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 17 Sept – 14 Dec 2008

Cloth and Culture NOW included the work of 35 contemporary textile artists from Estonia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania and the UK, with the aim of exploring links between traditional and contemporary textile practice and wider overlapping global influences. In each of these countries textiles have traditionally played a central role, both economically and also as a carrier of the narrative of place. And in each of these countries, contemporary textile artists are using that embedded narrative of traditional practice within the discourse surrounding their practice.

A personal statement reflecting on the significance of my own cultural roots and how this cultural identity might find expression in my current practice can be found here: clothandculturenow.com

A 180 page full colour publication accompanied the exhibition and includes an interview conducted by Lesley Millar about the ideas that were informing the development of the work included in the exhibition. These reflections are extended in ‘Continuity of Touch - Textile as Silent Witness’ my contribution to Jessica Hemmings’ Textile Reader (Hyperlink to text)