Cultural Threads
Transnational Textiles Today
Published on 27. November 2014
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-4725-2499-7 (ISBN)
Description
Cultural Threads considers contemporary artists and designers who work at the intersection of cultures and use textiles as their vehicle. Ideas about belonging to multiple cultures, which can result in a sense of connection to everywhere and nowhere, are more pertinent to society today than ever. So too are the layers of history - often overlooked - behind the objects that make up our material world.
The roots of postcolonial theory lie in literature and have, in the past, been communicated through dense academic jargon. Cultural Threads breaks with what can read as impenetrable rhetoric to show the rich visual diversity of craft and art that engages with multiple cultural influences. Many of these objects exist in an in-between world of their own, not wholly embraced by the establishments of art, nor functional objects in the conventional sense of craft.
Cultural Threads is an exploration of contemporary textiles and their relationship with postcolonial culture. However, the postcolonial thinking examined here shares with craft an interest in the lived, rather than the purely theoretical, giving a very human account of the interactions in between craft and culture.
The roots of postcolonial theory lie in literature and have, in the past, been communicated through dense academic jargon. Cultural Threads breaks with what can read as impenetrable rhetoric to show the rich visual diversity of craft and art that engages with multiple cultural influences. Many of these objects exist in an in-between world of their own, not wholly embraced by the establishments of art, nor functional objects in the conventional sense of craft.
Cultural Threads is an exploration of contemporary textiles and their relationship with postcolonial culture. However, the postcolonial thinking examined here shares with craft an interest in the lived, rather than the purely theoretical, giving a very human account of the interactions in between craft and culture.
Reviews / Votes
In the contemporary art world, artists are increasingly exploring what textiles can do and say ... If this kind of thing fascinates you, explore further with [Cultural Threads]. * Irish Times * [A] very readable and well-illustrated ... A very worthwhile book to explore. * The Journal for Weavers, Spinners & Dyers * Cultural Threads sits comfortably between the mainstream and The Academe, occupying an intriguing intersection between worlds and migration stories ... [It] is skillfully designed with large format eye-catching imagery ... Collectively, such a text can develop new art audiences excited for the worlds of surface design and textile arts. * Surface Design Journal * I'm a huge fan of this beautifully presented and very readable book ... The large format colour images throughout the book leave me feeling that I really do understand what other selected artists have created visually - and the text is intelligent and informative but not overly dense. * Fibre Forum e-bulletin (created on behalf of TAFTA) *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
210 colour illus
Dimensions
Height: 276 mm
Width: 219 mm
Weight
1249 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4725-2499-7 (9781472524997)
DOI
CBID181212
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jessica Hemmings is Professor of Crafts and Vice-Prefekt of Research, HDK - Academy of Design and Crafts, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Jessica is editor of The Textile Reader (Berg, 2012), In the Loop: Knitting Now (2010) and author of Warp and Weft: Woven Textiles in Fashion, Art and Interiors (Bloomsbury, 2012). She is a regular contributor of articles and reviews to publications including Crafts, Selvedge, and the Surface Design Journal.
Content
Introduction
Chapter One: Artists' Statements
Julie Ryder: Reflections on Charles Darwin's South Pacific (Australia)
Jorge Lizarazo and Hechizoo: Colombian Voyages and Explorations (Colombia)
Cecilia Vicuna: QUIPUing from Santiago, Chile to Sydney, Australia (Chile)
Elaine Reichek: Revisiting a Postcolonial Kinderhood in America (USA)
Mr Somebody & Mr Nobody: African Design Exported (South Africa)
Chapter Two: Dutch Wax Resist Textiles: Roger Gerards, Creative Director of Vlisco, and Jessica Hemmings (National College of Art & Design, Dublin, Republic of Ireland)
Chapter Three: An Imagined Africa: Stories told by Contemporary Textiles, Jessica Hemmings (National College of Art & Design, Dublin, Republic of Ireland)
Chapter Four: Weaving, Tradition and Tourism in Ghana: "The End of Skill", Mamle Kabu (Ghana)
Chapter Five: Can Pakeha Make Customary Maori Art? A Conversation in New Zealand with Weaver Margaret White and Damian Skinner (New Zealand)
Chapter Six: Crafting Difference: Art, Cloth and the African Diaspora, Christine Checinska (University of East London, UK)
Chapter Seven: From Brixton to Mostar: Social Practice Through Textiles, Francoise Dupre (Birmingham City University, UK)
Chapter Eight: A Post-Slavery Reading of Cotton: Lubaina Himid (University of Central Lancashire, UK) in conversation with Sabine Broeck and Alice Schmid (both of the University of Bremen, Germany)
Chapter Nine: Contemporary Textile Imagery in Southern Africa: a Question of Ownership, Sarah Rhodes (Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK)
Chapter Ten: Social Sutra: A Platform for Ethical Textiles in Partnerships Between Australia and India, Kevin Murray (Australia)
Index
Chapter One: Artists' Statements
Julie Ryder: Reflections on Charles Darwin's South Pacific (Australia)
Jorge Lizarazo and Hechizoo: Colombian Voyages and Explorations (Colombia)
Cecilia Vicuna: QUIPUing from Santiago, Chile to Sydney, Australia (Chile)
Elaine Reichek: Revisiting a Postcolonial Kinderhood in America (USA)
Mr Somebody & Mr Nobody: African Design Exported (South Africa)
Chapter Two: Dutch Wax Resist Textiles: Roger Gerards, Creative Director of Vlisco, and Jessica Hemmings (National College of Art & Design, Dublin, Republic of Ireland)
Chapter Three: An Imagined Africa: Stories told by Contemporary Textiles, Jessica Hemmings (National College of Art & Design, Dublin, Republic of Ireland)
Chapter Four: Weaving, Tradition and Tourism in Ghana: "The End of Skill", Mamle Kabu (Ghana)
Chapter Five: Can Pakeha Make Customary Maori Art? A Conversation in New Zealand with Weaver Margaret White and Damian Skinner (New Zealand)
Chapter Six: Crafting Difference: Art, Cloth and the African Diaspora, Christine Checinska (University of East London, UK)
Chapter Seven: From Brixton to Mostar: Social Practice Through Textiles, Francoise Dupre (Birmingham City University, UK)
Chapter Eight: A Post-Slavery Reading of Cotton: Lubaina Himid (University of Central Lancashire, UK) in conversation with Sabine Broeck and Alice Schmid (both of the University of Bremen, Germany)
Chapter Nine: Contemporary Textile Imagery in Southern Africa: a Question of Ownership, Sarah Rhodes (Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK)
Chapter Ten: Social Sutra: A Platform for Ethical Textiles in Partnerships Between Australia and India, Kevin Murray (Australia)
Index