Curated by Angela Maddock, Ann Jordan and Lorna Hamilton-Brown, Swansea gallery Elysium’s group show Thread brings together four established artists to explore the vast possibilities of what can be created with textiles, as well as considering the contemporary themes that can be weaved through these creations. Discussing the reason for the exhibition’s title, Maddock said: “Thread represents an instruction. Its practices of joining, increasing and attaching are ones of expansion and growth… Thread was chosen because of its multi-faceted meanings. I was keen that the exhibition would feature contemporary artists from different backgrounds that stretch boundaries, practice in different ways and question the viewers ideas surrounding identity, culture and global issues.”
The Thread exhibition features work from Shelly Goldsmith, Raisa Kabir, Shona Robin Macpherson, and Lasmin Salmon, along with pieces from bright young talents Siwan Thomas BA and Imogen Mills MA. To allow visitors a peek behind the curtain of the exhibition, there will be an open work room alongside the main gallery, featuring the artists’ samples and sketchbooks. Bringing together a wide range of ideas and materials, Thread is a treat for anyone who has been excited by the endless possibilities of cloth as a raw material for art.
Elysium Gallery, Swansea, until Sat 16 Oct. A symposium featuring artists and curators takes place via Zoom (link) on Sat 2 Oct at 3pm. Admission: free. Info: 07980 925449 / here
words JOSHUA REES