British Tapestry Group brings special exhibition 'Threads in Sheds' to Whitchurch Silk Mill
'Threads in Sheds' is the latest special exhibition at Whitchurch Silk Mill. Opening on Saturday 11th September, it features contemporary tapestry pieces created by members of the British Tapestry Group. 36 members, from across the country and even internationally, have created new tapestries inspired by the heritage and traditions of weaving, in a contemporary art form, with many innovative and three-dimensional techniques on display for the first time.
Whitchurch Silk Mill, a working museum in the heart of rural Hampshire, is the oldest working silk mill in the UK and its living weaving silk heritage-inspired these artists. Imagination, creativity, skill, and patience are evident in the designs, which has created an exhibition to excite the sense and celebrate this evolving art form.
The exhibition will showcase the work of renowned tapestry weavers Joan Baxter and William Jefferies and silk weavers from the Mill.
Lisa Gale, Visitor Experience Manager at the Mill says "We are incredibly privileged to premier this collection of works celebrating the art of textiles in all its brilliance. Visitors will discover ingenious techniques, colour harmony and the narratives of imagery to inspire them. As each artist had approached the topic 'Threads in Sheds' in a different way, there is something for everyone to enjoy".
Joan Baxter, one of the world’s foremost tapestry artists, said: “Our task, as Tapestry weavers, has been to navigate through the numerous forms of yarn that silk comes in, to celebrate the wonders of its dyed colours and to try not to get immured in fine yarns that tempt us to impossibly detailed weaving."
William Jefferies, a tapestry weaver whose work is featured in many national collections, said "All sense of the Industrial Mills (“Sheds”) has been bypassed by the individual weavers who have quietly worked through this last year of modern Pandemic. It is a celebration of these weavers’ vision and skill and a fitting reward to be included as part of this exhibition in such an appropriate place.”
The exhibition is free with Mill admission and runs until Sunday, 21 November 2021. The Mill is open Tuesday to Sunday 10.30 am to 5.00 pm.