Guild
15-18 August 2024
Filet Space, 103 Murray Grove, N1 7QP
Curated by Andia Coral Newton
The artists of GUILD invite you into the world of warp and weft.
Tapestry is among the most ancient forms of artistic expression and human ingenuity. From the oldest needle in the world discovered in Denisova Cave in Russia, dating back 50,000 years, to the fragments of flaxen yarn based textiles discovered in the Bronze Aged time-capsule at Must Farm in the UK, the ancient backstap weaving traditions of South America, to Chinese silk production which commenced during the Neolithic Yangshao culture. Hand-weaving has shielded us from the cold and given us the power to preserve our stories for millennia.
But why do we hand-weave today? Since the industrial revolution, the need for hand-weaving has been eliminated in many parts of the world. And yet textiles are having their moment in the auction houses and contemporary galleries of the West.
Come and sley the reed with us, adjust the tension, thread the heddles, wind the bobbin. We want to give you an insight into the labour of love that is tapestry weaving, and show you why we still do it.
Featuring:
Maria E André
Natasa Heydra
Molly Kent
Andia Coral Newton
Anna Olsson
Patrick Stratton
Athena Wang