Consuo - Unravelling Textile Traditions
Consuo is a collective of textile artists who create both 2D and 3D artworks using diverse techniques such as weaving, knitting, stitching, dyeing, printing, basketry, and mixed media. Named after the Latin word for ‘to sew together,’ Consuo is made up of alumni from the Masters textile program at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham.
Their exhibition, Unravelling Textile Traditions, showcases a wide range of materials and techniques, drawing inspiration from nature, architecture, personal narratives, and the inherent qualities of the materials themselves. The artists in Consuo continuously push the boundaries of both traditional and unconventional textile methods, resulting in distinctive and thought-provoking works.
One featured artist, Elena Sparke, cultivates her own indigo plants to handprint patterns in a series inspired by the Verdure tapestries of the 17th and 18th centuries. These tapestries, known for their woodland scenes and lush foliage, are reimagined by Elena to explore themes of memory, time, cultural continuity, and heritage preservation. A particular Verdure tapestry displayed at West Dean College serves as a focal point for her creations.
Deb King draws inspiration from the worn ledger stones in Chichester Cathedral. Her delicate silk passementerie—an endangered craft—celebrates the interwoven lives of families and communities through hand-spun silk cords, which are intricately woven into her designs. Her work highlights the richness of history and the spaces left behind by those who came before us.
Meanwhile, Tara Kennedy responds to the changing Icelandic landscape as winter transitions to spring, capturing the shifting patterns created by thawing snow and ice. Her pieces, made exclusively with Icelandic wool, evoke the raw beauty and transient nature of this striking environment.
Images courtesy of Consuo Textiles
Consuo - Unravelling Textile Traditions is on show at Oxmarket Contemporary until 29 September 2024.
Find out more and plan your visit:
www.oxmarket.org/exhibitions/consuo-unravelling-textile-traditions
Their exhibition, Unravelling Textile Traditions, showcases a wide range of materials and techniques, drawing inspiration from nature, architecture, personal narratives, and the inherent qualities of the materials themselves. The artists in Consuo continuously push the boundaries of both traditional and unconventional textile methods, resulting in distinctive and thought-provoking works.
One featured artist, Elena Sparke, cultivates her own indigo plants to handprint patterns in a series inspired by the Verdure tapestries of the 17th and 18th centuries. These tapestries, known for their woodland scenes and lush foliage, are reimagined by Elena to explore themes of memory, time, cultural continuity, and heritage preservation. A particular Verdure tapestry displayed at West Dean College serves as a focal point for her creations.
Deb King draws inspiration from the worn ledger stones in Chichester Cathedral. Her delicate silk passementerie—an endangered craft—celebrates the interwoven lives of families and communities through hand-spun silk cords, which are intricately woven into her designs. Her work highlights the richness of history and the spaces left behind by those who came before us.
Meanwhile, Tara Kennedy responds to the changing Icelandic landscape as winter transitions to spring, capturing the shifting patterns created by thawing snow and ice. Her pieces, made exclusively with Icelandic wool, evoke the raw beauty and transient nature of this striking environment.
Images courtesy of Consuo Textiles
Consuo - Unravelling Textile Traditions is on show at Oxmarket Contemporary until 29 September 2024.
Find out more and plan your visit:
www.oxmarket.org/exhibitions/consuo-unravelling-textile-traditions