Eternally Yours: Repair, Care And Healing

About

Showcasing diverse examples of creative reuse, from historical samples of the Japanese art of Kintsugi and Boro, which embrace upcycling and repurposing, to works from contemporary artists who put repair at the heart of their practice, Eternally Yours explores the unexpectedly hopeful and healing stories that repair reveals. In light of the recent global pandemic, the exhibition seeks to unpack how ‘repair’ can guide both our individual and collective healing.    

Visitors will have the chance to see the talents and skills of designers and makers in action first-hand at the Beasley Brothers’ Repair Shop, they transform discarded objects to give them a new lease of life. The brainchild of designer Carl Clerkin, the installation is modelled on traditional East End repair shops of old, that could and would repair anything. Sitting at the heart of the exhibition, the shop will also run live workshops and skills training.   

Bringing together everything from textiles and ceramics to furniture, Eternally Yours reflects upon the hope and healing which can be found in the memories and stories that everyday objects hold in our lives. Celebrating the history and emotional value of the items we hold on to, rather than discard, the exhibition highlights works from a broad range of creatives, including textile artists Celia Pym and Angela Maddock, designers Studio Propolis, artist and researcher Ellen Sampson and maker Peter Marigold (with many more to be announced).

Eternally Yours will be accompanied by a series of events exploring the concept of repair, led by slow living brand TOAST. The workshop space in the Courtyard Rooms, adjacent to the exhibition, will host weekly artist-led workshops and free mending consultations. Each will demonstrate repurposing and traditional repair techniques through the lens of sustainability, culture, wellbeing and storytelling. In this way, TOAST hopes to inspire people to try a variety of craft techniques and reconsider their relationship with clothing. Tickets for these workshops will be available soon.