a.samms@live.co.uk
Warped
12th May - 15th May
The Sarabande Foundation, London
Sarabande Foundation, London
Photograph by Rocio Chacon
Sarabande Foundation, London
Photograph by Rocio Chacon
Human hair, silk, wool, cotton, leather, 61cm x 86cm,
The Perfect Rot, 2023
Red textured stoneware, human hair, silk, wool, jesmonite, 37.5cm x 35cm x 30cm
Photograph by Rocio Chacon
PRESS RELEASE
Celebrating the art of contemporary weaving at Sarabande Foundation as part of London Craft Week. The immersive exhibition showcased the talents of three Sarabande studio residents whose weaving takes very different forms – jeweller Megan Brown, interdisciplinary artist Anouska Samms and designer Martina Spetlova. WARPED presented the artists’ own unique approaches to weaving and their use of varied materials – from human hair to woven leather and precious metals.
At the heart of the show was an interactive loom installation spanning 8 metres x 2 metres, created from repurposed wood from Alexander McQueen’s AW23 show. Purposefully designed to function as a collective tool, visitors were invited to join conversations while co-creating an abstract piece of material on the loom, exploring themes from family lineage, heritage and community, working alongside the warp and weft.
The coming together of these three distinct practitioners not only highlighted the innovative ways creatives make use of the loom today, but paid homage to the design of a machine that has remained relatively unchanged through time and geography. The loom bridges all three of these innovative and diverse creative practices.
Sarabande was set up by the late designer, Lee Alexander McQueen, who left the majority of his estate to support creative and visionary talent. In addition to providing scholarships and studio space for artists, Sarabande produces a number of events, from the practical to the inspirational.