Sunday 20 May 2012

New Walk Museum and Gallery, Leicester

Friday - Thanks to a friend I was introduced to the work of Maggie Scott's large scale textile installations on show at the New Walk Gallery. Her work "explores the tensions and contradictions of Black British identy" Screen printed silk is then Nuno felted to create fabulously muted images but with photographic detail.
3 pieces explore the end of her monther's life through an image made into jigsaw shapes where progressively more of her mother disappears from image 1 to 3. Very powerful, especially as my father is slowly loosing his grip on memory.
 The most disturbing piece was a concertina'd hanging with a white supremacist rally cut through a mixed race wedding scene 10ft tall and 12ft wide it really gave you pause for thought.
By chance, at the same time, they were showing "Suits and Saris" to celebrate and debate the fusion of British and South Asian fashion traditions, pertinent because of the population of Leicester. In "Respectability " different generations were invited to share their feelings about styles of dress. An interesting show that is part of the Dress the World - 3 shows in the East Midlans exploring how global exchanges have shaped fashion in this area. I want to try and get to see "Living in Silk" on at Nottingham Castle Museum until 16th September.
Also worth noting that New Walk Gallery houses the Attenborough collection of Picasso ceramics.

2 comments:

  1. I feel a bone shaking bus ride into Leicester coming on, although don't think I could stand the 2 separate bus journies into Nottingham, would love to see that exhibit too.

    Sandie xx

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  2. It's been several years since I came to the New Walk gallery so thanks for reminding me that I should pay another visit. I will try and get to the Nottingham exhibition as that is slightly easier to get to.

    So many lives are affected by dementia, including my mother's, and I have been mulling over a textile piece to describe the fading of the person. This week is Alzheimer's Awareness Week and I have put up a post about it if you would like to read it.

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