Thinking Outside the Box – A Return to the Knit & Stitch Show
Updated: Oct 13
It's been around five years since I last visited the Knit & Stitch Show at Alexandra Palace. To be honest, I didn't get much out of it in terms of vendors on that occasion, as I was very much in my tufting stage at the time. However, it did introduce me to The 62 Group of Textile Artists, a collective that was exhibiting there.
Having only recently returned to the art world back then, discovering this group encouraged me to investigate similar organisations as a potential way of exhibiting my own work.
Five years on, I've returned, this time as a newly accepted member of Prism, an international textile collective exhibiting at Alexandra Palace. Although I wasn't exhibiting myself, it felt rather fitting to be back, having taken those first tentative steps towards joining a textile organisation after my previous visit.
As my practice has moved more towards tapestry, I was hoping there might be more to interest me in terms of supplies. Sadly, that wasn't really the case. There were plenty of balls of wool, rolls of fabric and craft kits, but little that particularly caught my eye.
So, onwards to the exhibitions, which were my main reason for visiting.
Prism – Out of the Box
Near the entrance were ten exhibition spaces, and it was in one of the smallest gallery cubes that I found Prism, presenting their exhibition Out of the Box.
The collective had set themselves the challenge of creating a piece within a 30 × 30 cm base, with no restriction on height. As one of the members explained, each piece has its own box, making packing up and transporting the exhibition to the next Knit & Stitch Show remarkably straightforward. A rather clever brief, both creatively and practically!
As someone who prefers working on a large scale, this would certainly have been an interesting challenge for me. I suspect my interpretation might have taken full advantage of that unrestricted height!
Since I generally create my own briefs, having someone else set the parameters would make me approach my work differently. Restrictions can force you to explore ideas and solutions you might otherwise never consider. Perhaps that's the point of thinking outside the box.
Ironically, though, it was the work inside the box — the gallery box, that is — that could have benefited from a little more space.
With so many pieces occupying one of the smallest exhibition spaces, the work felt rather crowded. Combined with the steady stream of Saturday visitors, it wasn't always easy to stand back and fully appreciate individual pieces. This was particularly noticeable when compared with some of the neighbouring exhibition spaces, where the work had more room to breathe.
As an international textile collective, Prism brought together a wide range of techniques and approaches, and several pieces particularly caught my attention.
Sue Reddish's Re-store/Re-storied, a piece incorporating recycled clothing waste, stitching, paint and print, had a composition I found extremely pleasing.
Recycled commercial clothing waste, hand and machine stitching, paint and print. Exploring the city as a place that holds our memories and stories, layered over time.
Paulene Cattle's Landslide, a cylindrical felt sculpture, had a wonderfully calm presence, despite its title suggesting something altogether more chaotic.
Handmade felt, natural fabrics, thread and found objects. An abstract interpretation of coastal erosion, inspired by studies of the changing coastline
Marilyn Hall's Echoes of a Forgotten Past, a woven piece, swayed gently in the breeze from the air conditioning, adding a pleasing element of movement.
Cotton warp, natural yarns, fabrics and slate shards. A woven tribute to the Westmoreland quarrymen who worked in the slate caverns, reflecting on the traces they left behind.
Kim Winter's Out of Control was twisting and turning, showing itself off to full advantage. I initially put this down to the rather enthusiastic air conditioning, but have since discovered that the piece was actually motorised!
Paper and yarn. A motorised work inspired by W. B. Yeats' poem The Second Coming, exploring themes of disorder and the loss of control.
And finally, Annie Taylor's The Contortionist, which took the brief quite literally. Inspired by a circus act, she had created a rag doll from old bedding, rather reminiscent of the 1970s, contorting herself inside the box! A playful interpretation of the theme that made me smile.
Cardboard box, calico and old bedding. Inspired by a traditional circus act in which a contortionist, resembling a floppy rag doll, twists herself in and out of a box.
Final Thoughts
The show was certainly busy on Saturday, with plenty of workshops and supplies to keep the craft enthusiasts occupied. For me, the exhibitions were the main attraction, and while I would have liked a little more space to appreciate some of the work, it was interesting to see such a variety of textile approaches.
As for next year, with three forms of transport needed to get there, I might need a little persuading!
Further Information
Prism Textile Collective – Official website https://www.prismtextiles.co.uk/
The Knit & Stitch Show – Official website https://www.knitandstitchshow.co.uk/london/
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