Last week I went to the Barbican to see ‘Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art’. (I’ve just read this properly while typing it out and now I’m wondering what does the ‘Textiles in Art’ bit even mean?) I know, I know, it’s all in the title, and I should not have been surprised, but I came away depressed and miserable. So miserable, I had to have a slice of millionaire’s shortbread with a cup of tea in the cafe overlooking the Barbican water gardens to restore my equanimity.
Thank you very much for another thought provoking and generous Sunday read. I’ve loved your work since I first read The Gentle Art of Domesticity and followed your blog many years ago. I so appreciate the creativity and insight you share here.
Often people (especially women) create using textiles as a means of escaping their troubles, not magnifying them. Why absolutely everything has to be politicised all the time I have no idea. It's a very puritan way of looking at life - all you do should have a serious meaning. Well, no - sometimes I do stuff because I like doing it and because the results give me pleasure. Call me frivolous......
I read some of the reviews for the exhibition and while I do think public art (exhibitions) should be thought provoking, the descriptions, 'powerful', 'visceral' 'filled with horror'.......? Nope, thank you. Just as well we live in the wild and woolly north so the option of a quick trip to the Barbican isn't on the cards. Time Out's review went against the tide though!
Oh I so agreed with this; I would add too that there’s also a sense of what is worthy and important having to involve pain and angst in the very making of it - that if the process is enjoyable then it’s somehow less valuable. I remember hearing Howard Hodgkin interviewed and him saying what agony painting was for him (and thus very important and meaningful). I just thought - you are in the wrong job mate ! When I felt like that I realised it was time to change careers ! I’ve always felt textiles were treated as lesser partly because of this perception that making art can’t be fun and enjoyable, and if it is fun then it’s not Art. Thanks for an excellent read !
I totally agree with you. I am from the Netherlands and a psychologist told me years ago, you don’t need more consults with me, go ‘fröbelen’ if that makes you happy!
Fröbelen is a Dutch word (I am Dutch) and can mean making anything with your hands using any material. I used to love to fröbel as a child and teenager, didn’t do much for a long time and now I am retired and love spending time knitting, sewing, crafting, cooking etc. So back to the enjoyment of fröbelen!
I love reading your newsletter on a Sunday! Thank you very much
Sometimes ... sometimes I feel people with 'higher education' really need to get over themselves. Perhaps move on to nuclear war or other heinous acts where they can feel more comfortable with talking about the leadups and the outcomes. Add a little starvation of the masses to flavor the sauce. Other times ... other times I just want to build a kite and fly it when the wind is right. Make the pretty tail and securely glue the seams and get the perfect ball of twine to carry it out into space as far as it can go.
I haven’t been to the exhibition and I am interested in why people have been withdrawing their work - must look this up. I must admit I would avoid something like this like the plague just by looking at the title. I did two C&G in Stumpwork [lower and higher] about 20 years ago and I always felt that if what you were making wasn’t imbued with deep and troubled meaning then it was seen as a lesser creation. We were often criticised for not doing this at tutorials. I hated this and quite frankly, it put me off the whole thing for a very long time. The issue of making something because you enjoy it was frowned on. It was almost like nothing is worthy unless it is created due to, or because of struggle and angst. I have no idea what is being taught now because I haven’t been on a course since then. But I can see from articles that this persists and I absolutely agree with you in your piece today that there are many more of us making because it adds to our lives. Thank you Jane for anther erudite and thought provoking posting
You see this all the time in every medium. The negative actions and consequences of human failures that wash over us endlessly in the daily news cycle are merely repackaged whole, with wildly varying facility in the medium chosen, in the most shocking way the maker can conjure up. The result inevitably radiates a total lack of imagination that bores and trivializes at the same time. The real message is not the issue at hand but the oh so righteous sensibility and outrage of the maker that we are meant to laud and admire. And a certain sort of critic is always willing to join this ego parade with florid praise in order to display their solidarity. The overwhelming tedium is always a cue to head for the exits.
Very interesting, and you’ve expressed perfectly what I couldn’t put into words but why I didn’t see this exhibition even when I was visiting the Barbican Centre with time on my hands. Interestingly my experience of other exhibitions is that textiles can be a powerful political and resistance medium whilst still being joyful positive and hopeful. I won’t forget the exhibition I saw of and about the Gees Bend quilts and quilters, it stays with me still as an inspiration. Similarly and exhibition of Trades Union and other banners.
Thanks as ever for a thoughtful and interesting piece (and your choices of illustration) 👌🏽❤️
Jane, as usual you express so clearly my own thoughts. Oh, and that is my favourite Ladybird book. I made everything in that book. My next one is Cinderella where the images of her dresses made me dream. Xx
Thank you so much for today's post. I have forwarded it to a dear friend, a textile artist, who is grieving the sudden loss of her husband. I hope the part of your post about the comfort of textiles will resonate with her. She has started knitting a jumper no doubt as a distraction and comfort.
I have been a maker my whole life, have only in recent years realized how much I need the physical act of making things with my hands to feel sane. I've done a lot of knitting, sewing, spinning yarn, fiber art generally. I started pottery about two years ago and love it. But I've struggled so much with allowing myself the making just because it gives me joy; I don't need to make High Art for my making to be valuable. But I have an art degree that taught me otherwise, the same downer BS you describe.
Just want to chime in and say "here here" along with the rest. I am going through a difficult time, and I am going to print out this particular piece to remind me of the solace I can find working with yarn and cloth. Thank you!
Thank you very much for another thought provoking and generous Sunday read. I’ve loved your work since I first read The Gentle Art of Domesticity and followed your blog many years ago. I so appreciate the creativity and insight you share here.
Often people (especially women) create using textiles as a means of escaping their troubles, not magnifying them. Why absolutely everything has to be politicised all the time I have no idea. It's a very puritan way of looking at life - all you do should have a serious meaning. Well, no - sometimes I do stuff because I like doing it and because the results give me pleasure. Call me frivolous......
I read some of the reviews for the exhibition and while I do think public art (exhibitions) should be thought provoking, the descriptions, 'powerful', 'visceral' 'filled with horror'.......? Nope, thank you. Just as well we live in the wild and woolly north so the option of a quick trip to the Barbican isn't on the cards. Time Out's review went against the tide though!
Oh I so agreed with this; I would add too that there’s also a sense of what is worthy and important having to involve pain and angst in the very making of it - that if the process is enjoyable then it’s somehow less valuable. I remember hearing Howard Hodgkin interviewed and him saying what agony painting was for him (and thus very important and meaningful). I just thought - you are in the wrong job mate ! When I felt like that I realised it was time to change careers ! I’ve always felt textiles were treated as lesser partly because of this perception that making art can’t be fun and enjoyable, and if it is fun then it’s not Art. Thanks for an excellent read !
Dear Jane,
I totally agree with you. I am from the Netherlands and a psychologist told me years ago, you don’t need more consults with me, go ‘fröbelen’ if that makes you happy!
Fröbelen is a Dutch word (I am Dutch) and can mean making anything with your hands using any material. I used to love to fröbel as a child and teenager, didn’t do much for a long time and now I am retired and love spending time knitting, sewing, crafting, cooking etc. So back to the enjoyment of fröbelen!
I love reading your newsletter on a Sunday! Thank you very much
Sometimes ... sometimes I feel people with 'higher education' really need to get over themselves. Perhaps move on to nuclear war or other heinous acts where they can feel more comfortable with talking about the leadups and the outcomes. Add a little starvation of the masses to flavor the sauce. Other times ... other times I just want to build a kite and fly it when the wind is right. Make the pretty tail and securely glue the seams and get the perfect ball of twine to carry it out into space as far as it can go.
I haven’t been to the exhibition and I am interested in why people have been withdrawing their work - must look this up. I must admit I would avoid something like this like the plague just by looking at the title. I did two C&G in Stumpwork [lower and higher] about 20 years ago and I always felt that if what you were making wasn’t imbued with deep and troubled meaning then it was seen as a lesser creation. We were often criticised for not doing this at tutorials. I hated this and quite frankly, it put me off the whole thing for a very long time. The issue of making something because you enjoy it was frowned on. It was almost like nothing is worthy unless it is created due to, or because of struggle and angst. I have no idea what is being taught now because I haven’t been on a course since then. But I can see from articles that this persists and I absolutely agree with you in your piece today that there are many more of us making because it adds to our lives. Thank you Jane for anther erudite and thought provoking posting
You see this all the time in every medium. The negative actions and consequences of human failures that wash over us endlessly in the daily news cycle are merely repackaged whole, with wildly varying facility in the medium chosen, in the most shocking way the maker can conjure up. The result inevitably radiates a total lack of imagination that bores and trivializes at the same time. The real message is not the issue at hand but the oh so righteous sensibility and outrage of the maker that we are meant to laud and admire. And a certain sort of critic is always willing to join this ego parade with florid praise in order to display their solidarity. The overwhelming tedium is always a cue to head for the exits.
What a joy focused Sunday morning read. A great start to the day.
I agree with every single word of this piece.
Thank you for a very thought-provoking piece. So much to think about here, and in the replies.
Very interesting, and you’ve expressed perfectly what I couldn’t put into words but why I didn’t see this exhibition even when I was visiting the Barbican Centre with time on my hands. Interestingly my experience of other exhibitions is that textiles can be a powerful political and resistance medium whilst still being joyful positive and hopeful. I won’t forget the exhibition I saw of and about the Gees Bend quilts and quilters, it stays with me still as an inspiration. Similarly and exhibition of Trades Union and other banners.
Thanks as ever for a thoughtful and interesting piece (and your choices of illustration) 👌🏽❤️
Jane, as usual you express so clearly my own thoughts. Oh, and that is my favourite Ladybird book. I made everything in that book. My next one is Cinderella where the images of her dresses made me dream. Xx
Thank you so much for today's post. I have forwarded it to a dear friend, a textile artist, who is grieving the sudden loss of her husband. I hope the part of your post about the comfort of textiles will resonate with her. She has started knitting a jumper no doubt as a distraction and comfort.
I have been a maker my whole life, have only in recent years realized how much I need the physical act of making things with my hands to feel sane. I've done a lot of knitting, sewing, spinning yarn, fiber art generally. I started pottery about two years ago and love it. But I've struggled so much with allowing myself the making just because it gives me joy; I don't need to make High Art for my making to be valuable. But I have an art degree that taught me otherwise, the same downer BS you describe.
Just want to chime in and say "here here" along with the rest. I am going through a difficult time, and I am going to print out this particular piece to remind me of the solace I can find working with yarn and cloth. Thank you!
Totally agree about Unravel
and how wonderful to see Julie Arkell celebrated - she is amazing