Our first exhibition – GAWTHORPE HALL
We were thrilled to be part of the 2021 British Textile Biennial. Over 3,200 visitors experienced the collection at the famous Gawthorpe Hall in Burnley, Lancashire.
We are grateful to all the staff at Gawthorpe Hall and to Jenny Rutter, Super Slow Way & Charlotte Steels, Director of Gawthorpe Textile Collection for inviting us to be part of a wonderful Biennial.
“The exhibition appealed to us due to parallels with our own Textiles in Lockdown research commission from 2020 exploring the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the textile craft community.
It was a pleasure to work with Steve and his committed team of volunteers who supported both installation/deinstallation and stewarded the exhibition, bringing it to life for the visiting public.
The exhibition is a vibrant, engaging, powerful, incredibly moving and thought-provoking community led exhibition which captured the public frustration of the pandemic, whilst celebrating the work of the NHS and commemorating those that had lost their lives.
Visitor responses to the exhibition were overwhelmingly positive, evoking discussion and debate. The exhibition is a perfect example of how participation in craft can bring communities together on a national scale, providing a creative outlet and voice for the 100s of people of all ages and abilities who took part.”
Charlotte Steels, Director
Gawthorpe Textiles Collection
ORMSKIRK PARISH CHURCH
A very different venue but the public reaction was overwhelming with visitors returning numerous times with friends and family. Surely a sign of the power of the collection?
“For any church or venue contemplating hosting ‘Threads of Survival’ exhibition I would say ‘just do it!’
It is an amazing, thought provoking exhibition which works well in the space that many churches have available. We were able to place the more reflective quilts in a side chapel which gave people chance to sit quietly and really think about the message of the pieces.
As one visitor said ‘the exhibition enhances the building and the building enhances the exhibition’.
The team behind the project were a joy to work with meaning the planning and exhibition itself were stress free and a positive experience.
Even now as I think about the experience I’m smiling because it really was a good piece of work to be involved with on so many different levels.”
[…] Very different to the white walls of an art gallery. But we know from previous exhibitions in ORMSKIRK, Lancs. and MILVERTON, Somerset that visitors are deeply moved by the quilts and often long […]