Picasso's influence on the artworld.

It seems to me as though the format of exhibitions is undergoing a new trend. Of recent years, more and more seem to be concentrating on the influence artists have had on each other’s work, which therefore provides artwork with a greater social context. This is the format of the new Picasso exhibition at Tate Britain which examines the response to Picasso of seven British artists over three generations- Duncan Grant, Wyndham Lewis, Ben Nicholson, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Graham Sutherland and finally David Hockney. Each artist has seemingly taken something from Picasso to develop in their own unique context and his profound influence on the artworld is extraordinary. The exhibition is rather large and overwhelming as each room bombards you with a new direction, theme and artist which leaves your head in a bit of a spin.

Mondrian-Nicholson.

I always think of the Courthauld Gallery as a bit of a hidden gem of London. Although it hosts a very colourful, varied permanent collection, it also has some very interesting temporary exhibitions which often explore a specific theme, movement or phase in an artists career. It presents a bite-sized chunk of artwork which is easy to digest and would often be overlooked within a large exhibition. I remember a past exhibition focusing solely on Cezanne’s paintings and sketches of card players. It taught me a great deal about his working methods, colour choice etc.

Currently, there is a Mondrian-Nicholson exhibition, which draws parallels between these two artists and reveals their creative relationship, which is largely untold. Piet Mondrian and Ben Nicholson were undeniably two leading figures of European Modernism who flourished during the 1930s. They both explored the vast potential of abstract art in achieving a new take on beauty and visual power. Nicholson’s white reliefs are especially stunning to me in the way that they radiate a calm, serene quality with their simplistic curves, lines and shadows. The relationship between the two was one that I was not aware of but on placing the works side by side, becomes unmistakably obvious. But rather than fight for the spotlight, they sit together, complementing each other and highlighting the different dimensions of beauty, which can be achieved through abstraction.

this really is "The Stuff That Matters"

"The stuff that matters” is an exquisite collection of textiles compiled by Seth Siegelaub for the Centre for Social Research on Old Textiles. Siegelaub has a particular interest in the social history of hand-woven textiles and the exhibition reflects strongly on the geographic and historic context of its location.

Artillery Lane is not the typical location you would expect to find such an exhibition. Squeezed amongst the towering blocks of shiny financial offices and bustling sandwich bars one may ask why on earth it is located here. On reading the accompanying exhibition brochure it is so interesting to learn of a lucrative textile industry, which developed in the Spitalfields area after the introduction of a ban on foreign woven silk in 1766. The industry thrived and the quality and richness of its products rivelled even those of France. The ban on foreign trade was removed in 1824, which consequentially allowed an influx of novelty, cheaply priced French silks. This crippled the industry in Spitalfields and led to its collapse, which did not see a glimmer of revival until much later in the 19th Century.

The collection is displayed over several floors of these former silk merchants shops and is divided into silks and textiles of the European rich and the church, archaeological textiles, and ethnographic textiles. The wealth of different fabrics and designs really excite the mind and provide an extraordinary source of inspiration. The detail of the incredible collection of global hats and headdresses speak so much about social and cultural history without the use of words, which I found especially interesting. I was also struck by the muted beauty of the painted bark panels. The simplicity of their patterns and natural colours show that textiles need not be fancy and complex. There is definitely a lot to take in at this exhibition and I would say that several visits are essential.

A moving installation...

During a recent visit to Somerset House I was left speechless by the beautiful installation of 10,000 ceramic daffodils in the courtyard. The installation is named "Out of Sync" and has been completed by artist Fernando Casasempere. Clustered haphazardly together and made of industrial materials, their profound lack of colour made me detect a sombre ambiance or message. I wondered whether they were to commemorate lives lost like post-war poppies however the intention of the artist cannot be further from this. The daffodils are a celebration of winter finally drawing to a close and heralding the beginning of the Summer. Regardless of their ambiguity, they are nevertheless beautiful forms which sit serenely within the classic architecture of Somerset House.

"I do not expect to be a mother but I do expect to die alone"

Nestled in the chaotic area of Brick Lane, Olek’s exhibition at Tony’s gallery does not disappoint in reflecting the suburbs vibrancy and quirkiness. Her exhibition – “I do not expect to be a mother but I do expect to die alone” is the first UK solo exhibition for this Polish-born artist although I learn that she has a rather wide global following and has earned extensive recognition for her work in her current city, New York. On entering the gallery you are enveloped by Olek’s world, an exquisitely surreal environment. The entire gallery walls and floor have been covered in crochet. The space is filled with all kinds of domestic objects, each enrobed in brightly coloured multiple design crochet and featuring reoccurring motifs, such as her trademark camouflage print. Several explicit messages scatter the interior, often with a feminist slant which immediately remind me of the work of Tracey Emin. It is interesting to learn that the messages are indeed personal text messages that the artist herself has received, thus exposing intimate past relationship details. Through revealing her personal history, Olek hopes to explore modern concerns, which trouble her such as privacy, technology and communication.

In addition to these worries, Olek has been keen to reflect her experience of living in the UK and her assimilation into the British culture over the past few months. Iconic London objects such as the black cab have received the Olek ‘crochet treatment’ and as I suspected, the artist’s association with Tracey Emin is reflected by the exhibition’s title, which is a direct quote from an Emin appliqued blanket.

I suppose despite being initially visually pleasing with a cartoon-like, magical quality on closer inspection, things are not quite as they seem. This play between fiction and reality gives the work an ambivalent quality, which can actually be a little unsettling.

The time that would have gone into the creation of the room is astounding and I am particularly pleased that the artist has chosen to re-invigorate the craft of crochet, which is often disregarded as old fashioned and frumpy.

Woolly Wales

For my essay last year, I decided to write on the revival of traditional Chinese dress Hanfu, which necessitated a few days dedicated reading in the cavernous library of SOAS. Having travelled to China a couple of times and a period of study in Shanghai university, I have a particular affinity for the people, culture and language which is why I decided to tackle a subject I knew little about but was ever so keen to research and discover further.

This year I have decided to concentrate on a subject much closer to home- The Welsh woolen Industry. Despite being located significantly closer than the fabulous country of China, it has definitely necessitated much more to-ing and fro-ing up and down the length of Wales- so big thanks be to the amazing taxi driver skills of my parents. I have decided that this is the subject I would like to research extensively for my dissertation. As a weaver, it is directly related to my field of study, as a Welsh person, it is directly related to my heritage and culture and to be quite honest it is probably one of the most fascinating things I have ever decided to get clued up on. Ok, so I had absolutely no idea what on earth I was letting myself in for when I began my journey. Along the way I have met some extraordinary characters and personalities, who have welcomed me into their world and informed and educated me with unforgettable conversations. I have learnt so much from just listening to these people and have gained knowledge, which has far surpassed my need for academic library books.

Despite initially feeling quite low and sad for the industry, which like so many other rural crafts is struggling and facing momentous economic hardship, a glimmer of hope was provided towards the end of my research. Aside from financial troubles, one of the other key issues facing the industry is that of succession. With many of the mill-owners now nearing retirement age it is highly probable that several mills will be left with no option other than to close. This is the unfortunate truth. However this is where I believe my work, as a young Welsh weaver comes into the equation. I am going to try and start a proposal to present to the Welsh Government but at the moment it is just a very early concept and I’m desperately waiting to hear back from the people that could guide and help me. I shall keep you informed with how it goes.


Below are some images taken during my visits around the various remaining Welsh woollen mills- Curlew Weavers, Melin Teifi, Melin Tregwynt, Solva Mill, Trefriw woollen mill.












I was particularly taken with Elaine of Trefriw's collection of antique Welsh tapestry blankets. The comprehensive colection showed how colour and pattern had evolved and changed over time and how certain techniques, e.g. natural dying had come in and out of vogue. The traditional Welsh, double cloth weave patterns are certainly something I would like to invesigate further in my own work.

My old friend Paris

Having just arrived back into London after a few days back in Paris I can confirm that my longing and love for the city are ever existent. The reason for this wonderful 2 night break was of course work based, with us Chelsea students having clubbed together to buy a stand within the Indigo section of Premier Vision to sell our samples.

This short project which culminated in the Paris trip was certainly stressful. Having 6 weeks less than other students due to being on exchange and being plagued by an ever breaking Harris Loom didn’t help with the panic of trying to produce credible fabrics suitable for the fashion industry. But thankfully I managed to cobble together a somewhat clashing collection inspired by the gothic decadence of the interior of William Burgess designed Cardiff Castle.

A few snaps of my Indigo collection-





I had already been fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to visit Premier Vision back in October during my time studying in Paris. What I found then was an insiders look at a hostile industry fed on cheap, mass produced products that startled me significantly. Yes, admittedly there are producers within PV which don’t conform to this rather pessimistic description but as a student, you are made to feel like such an outsider, prohibited from entering the companies maze of white boxes. Unless you are a buyer, forget it. Yes the sparsely scattered interactive areas let you feel and look at a selection of the current wares offered by the various companies, but beyond this, the companies remain inaccessible entities, closed doors. Having already experienced the shock of feeling so totally disillusioned with the industry I am ultimately working towards possibly embarking on a career within, this time I was prepared. I took a much more relaxed approach to the whole show and instead of frantically trying to sneak into the top secret boxes, I left the exhibition at 3 to go to see an exhibition at the Pompidou instead. Much more inspirational!

I am really pleased to hear that several students did manage to sell samples to big companies such as Vuitton and Bottega Venetta. But also extremely cross to learn of how one sample was sold to a certain well-known brand for a knockdown price of 250 euros (samples usually sell for 400 euros plus). It certainly feels like the equilibrium between designer and company needs to be addressed. I suppose this is just an age old predicament which is inevitably linked to such an industry.

The pressure, ‘forced-down-your-throat’ trend predictions and general nervous atmosphere evoked at PV was thankfully a world away from that felt wondering around my familiar Parisian street and sipping Citronnaud at small, cozy corner cafes. The mentioned exhibition, Danser Sa Vie is one filled with inspiration for the mind and soul and makes one realize the depth of connection between movement and mood. Dance has and undoubtedly will continue to be an invaluable source of inspiration crossing all creative boundaries into the art and literature world. Going to watch dance, be it contemporary or classic always brings me such pleasure and positivity. Is it the energy, the ability to physically express matters of the soul or the rhythmic pulse of movement and music entwined I will not know. One thing I am sure of is that my reminiscing of my visits to both Theatre Chaillot for the contemporary and Palais Garnier for the classic has left me eager to get back into regular jaunts to Saddlers Wells in London!