I’m glad to see that it’s become an increasing trend to see textile-based artwork exhibited in a commercial fine art gallery. Things have certainly changed since I left art school, and not before time.
As one gallerist said to me recently, it’s the artist’s intention that counts, not the materials they use.
You can see this in the work of South African artist Igshaan Adams, who uses a range of materials: thread, beads, wire, linoleum, cotton twine and fabric to explore racial, religious and sexual boundaries. In this recent exhibition at Thomas Dane, floor, wall and cloud-like hanging sculptures filled the space. Negotiating routes laid down by the floor tapestries lead you in to a full installation.
Some of the works are topographies, richly textured woven maps with blanks. Are these empty spaces open to discovery or sealed-off from access?
