Domestic Goddess, Worship at Her Altar at Heckmann Studio Design Gallery
Heckmann Studio Design Gallery presents its inaugural exhibition of Jenny McIlhatton, a sustainable textile artist from Belfast. Domestic Goddess, Worship at Her Altar continues until 30 September 2024.
The show invites you into Jenny’s world. A place where divinity meets domesticity. The artist, who grew up amid a climate of conflict, asks us to question who and what we worship. She mines mythology for female narratives and muses on what ancient matriarchal worship might have looked like. Writers like Madeline Millar, Natalie Haynes and Bolu Babalola with their contemporary retelling of mythology inspire the artist’s vision.
Image: Breath of Athena, For Gaia and Working Women Everywhere, An Ocean of Sadness for Medusa. Image above: Domestic throne close up.
Jenny uses fashion waste and laborious hand processes, stitching and knotting to create her world. The triptych “Breath of Athena”, “For Gaia and Working Women Everywhere” and “An Ocean of Sadness for Medusa” references Christian religious triptychs. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost were replaced by Greek goddesses, who were divine but also deeply flawed.
The focal point of the exhibition is “Domestic Throne.” The artist invites you to step through the columns into this sacred space, dedicated to those who have little time for magic. The repetitive labour of the hand-knotting honours the unpaid rituals and routines of parents and carers. Constructed from leftover stacks of material destined to become protective face masks during the pandemic, the temple offers a space of protection and reflection.
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The show invites you into Jenny’s world. A place where divinity meets domesticity. The artist, who grew up amid a climate of conflict, asks us to question who and what we worship. She mines mythology for female narratives and muses on what ancient matriarchal worship might have looked like. Writers like Madeline Millar, Natalie Haynes and Bolu Babalola with their contemporary retelling of mythology inspire the artist’s vision.
Image: Breath of Athena, For Gaia and Working Women Everywhere, An Ocean of Sadness for Medusa. Image above: Domestic throne close up.
Jenny uses fashion waste and laborious hand processes, stitching and knotting to create her world. The triptych “Breath of Athena”, “For Gaia and Working Women Everywhere” and “An Ocean of Sadness for Medusa” references Christian religious triptychs. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost were replaced by Greek goddesses, who were divine but also deeply flawed.
The focal point of the exhibition is “Domestic Throne.” The artist invites you to step through the columns into this sacred space, dedicated to those who have little time for magic. The repetitive labour of the hand-knotting honours the unpaid rituals and routines of parents and carers. Constructed from leftover stacks of material destined to become protective face masks during the pandemic, the temple offers a space of protection and reflection.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*