Exhibition

Cotton: labour, land and body

21 Sep 2022 – 4 Mar 2023

Regular hours

Wednesday
11:00 – 17:00
Thursday
11:00 – 17:00
Friday
11:00 – 17:00
Saturday
11:00 – 17:00

Free admission

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Crafts Council Gallery

London
England, United Kingdom

Event map

Through textiles, films and works on paper, this exhibition explores how one of the world's most ubiquitous materials has shaped the relationship between Britain and South Asia.

About

For thousands of years, cotton has been skilfully cultivated from seed to yarn and crafted into garments to support a growing expansion of trade and consumption. Today, cotton remains one of the most profitable crops in the world, yet the stories and histories that it holds are rarely told.

In this exhibition, visitors will be taken on an expedition across time, geographies, cultures and traditions, uncovering multi-generational connections between Britain and South Asia through the cotton industry in Lancashire. Featuring work by artists Raisa Kabir, Brigid McLeer, Bharti Parmar and Reetu Sattar commissioned by the British Textile Biennial 2021, it captures the impact of cotton production on labour, land and the body. 

Journey through punched khadi paper (a paper made from 100% cotton rag) – echoing Gandhi’s campaign to end British rule – to coded Bengali script and job titles of production-line workers captured in handwoven and jacquard textiles.

Cotton: labour, land and body is curated by Uthra Rajgopal.

Supported by the Bagri Foundation. In partnership with The Super Slow Way and the British Textile Biennial.

What to expect? Toggle

CuratorsToggle

Uthra Rajgopal

Exhibiting artistsToggle

Raisa Kabir

Brigid McLeer

Bharti Palmar

Reetu Sattar

Taking part

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