Thread and Contemporary Art

About

Charlie Betts, Laura Coates, Alice Du Port, Anna Garrett, Julia Keenan, Morwenna Lake, Glynis Lamond, Maggie Williams

Establishing a link between the processes of sewing, needlework, knitting, weaving and Fine Art- the artists encounter notions of materiality, femininity and traditional art/craft hierarchies within Fine Art history.

Running alongside the Farnham Maltings annual thread craft festival, the artists unlock and challenge the notion of the use of thread as craft, bringing the medium into the conceptual Fine Art realm of making. The diverse practitioners create a wide range of works that activate the expressive and conceptual potential of such processes.

By addressing the material nature of thread as part of their practices, the artists pull on notions of textiles and gender politics, fashion, labour and décor. ‘Thread’, more than the material, transforms into the concept of the exhibition: ‘theme or characteristic running throughout’, which the different artists portray. The artists showcase a variety of new work, challenging the viewer to unravel the signs and symbols, understanding the artist’s perspective on the world.