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Tapestry Today’ brought together the work of thirty one leading professional practitioners from across the UK in an exhibition of contemporary woven tapestry, ranging from the narrative and typographic to the textural and abstract. As part of the 2006 Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, the British Tapestry Group secured the involvement of nationally renowned textile makers, bringing their work to the region in a welcome addition to the festival programme. The narrative examples of contemporary tapestry in the exhibition remained true to the historical precedents of the medium, ranging from the figurative and iconic, to the symbolic and subliminal. The communicative traditions of historical tapestry are based on text and image being used to communicate religious stories or classical myths to their audience, but the pieces within ‘Tapestry Today’ demonstrated how the communicative traditions of tapestry are subverted by contemporary practitioners. The association between decoration and culture in tapestry is continued, but through work which seeks to reflect on social issues, such as Christine Sawyer’s piece ‘Response to Eden’ and Alistair Duncan’s tapestry that symbolised conflict on both a global and personal level. Alongside this contemporary narrative work were pieces that evoked more emotional responses, with bold compositions, textural surfaces, beautifully balanced colour and symbolic shapes. Inspired by starting points such as journeys, archaeology, journals, landscape, astronomy and personal experiences, the exhibition demonstrated how leading tapestry practitioners interpret ideas into textiles in more abstract terms. Fiona Hutchinson’s abstract piece reflected on a journey out to sea and the protection of a safe harbour, but also the beauty and destructive force of water, drawing you towards a rich contrast of cyan and copper colours combined with bold graphic shapes and textural yarns. The British Tapestry Group is set up by and for working tapestry artists, with an aim to bring the medium of woven tapestry to a wider audience and prevent this fascinating medium from decline. The exhibition ‘Tapestry Today’ has started this process, providing an excellent overview of current tapestry practice in the UK and a wonderful opportunity to view the work of professional tapestry artists.
Sonja Andrew.
Lecturer in Textiles, University of Manchester, freelance printed textile practitioner and founder of Textile Forum South West.