Radical Textiles
‘Textile art’ encompasses an extraordinary range of media, from tapestry and embroidery to quilting and tailoring. It’s also deeply associated with profound social and political upheaval; over the past 150 years, textile artists have been universally instrumental in acts of resistance and activism. Interweaving fashion and textiles with soft sculpture, photography and moving image, Radical Textiles charts a course from artist and designer William Morris’ rejection of Industrial Revolution-era mechanisation and mass production through to the slow-making’ movement, a bulwark against the high-speed pace of today’s digital age. The exhibition also explores the reclamation of textile materials and techniques through feminist, queer and Black lenses, emphasising enduring traditions and shared knowledge alongside cutting-edge innovation. Radical Textiles runs from November 23, 2024 to March 30, 2025.
