PRISM Edgelands, the exhibition at the Art Pavilion, Mile End, which runs until Monday evening has once again been a triumph. It is wonderful to see such a great range of artist who are pushing the envelope of the definition of what a ‘textile artist’ is. No longer are there just weavers and embroiderers, though they are still represented with some stunning and thought provoking work. Now the range of materials used is vast and diverse. Here is a look at some of the work on display and the materials used by over 60 artists.
Ross exhibited four groups of work this year. Continuing his series of work that he started in 2015, the flat lay consists of nest of trained roots, found ragstones, seeds, recycled metalwork, leaves grown on our balcony and recycled bottle glass beads. Old and broken metal shelving has been weathered in the dye garden for over three years developing a wonderful rusted patina. White fence consisting of found fencing, redundant bandages and recycle army sheets, documents death caused by government’s lack of concern – starting in covid in care homes through to the current the wars in Ukraine, Sudan and the Palestine, with each knot representing 100 deaths. The new series of Totems, representing the development of the Edgelands, through to the endgame of relentless consumption and destruction of the natural world uses everything from old scaffolding boards, driftwood, antlers and sea salvage through to 12 years of milk bottle tops, used coffee pods, secondhand cable ties, palm fronds and tin cans.
A beautiful etherial installation made of honesty branches almost floats in the space. Hand coloured paper boxes and prints sit beside felted prehistoric pod like creations and woven bound paper creations.
Handmade dolls evoke memory and childhood, three dimensional creations remind one of corals and motorways and congestion are the inspiration for embroidered textile pieces .
Tufted rugs sit alongside latex creatures and figurative painted textiles, sprouting pipes and winking rag doll ladies.
Old packaging and concrete unites to form architectural compositions and twisted paper cascades to the floor, transcending their origins. Twisted forms intrigue and the shared genetic history of children is explored using vintage baby dresses and their crocheted ghostly wire equivalents.
Indigo tinged paper cubes and hangings contrast with blue appliquéd wall hangings and paper books and coastal are laid out in as nonlinear experiences.
Felted birds sit under glass whilst others are gold leafed like icons. Beautiful blind embossed prints with code like implications sit with hand stitched diary entries, like samplers from the strange time of covid lockdown.
A fascinating collection of work, inspired by the Edgelands, the PRISM’s show this year is definitely worth visiting, and is a wonderful snapshot of the diversity and imagination of this group of artists.
The show runs at the Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, Clinton Road, London, E3 4QY until end of day Monday.
Text © Jonathan Dredge, Images © Jonathan Dredge, all Art Work © the individual Artists.
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