I am excited to announce that I recently took part in the “Truth to Materials” exhibition at the Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft. This exhibition showcased the work of MA Craft and MA Textiles students from the University of Brighton. As a participant, I had the opportunity to present examples of my practice and demonstrate the importance of the craft and textile-making process in contemporary life.
The exhibition featured a diverse range of projects and themes explored through weave, fabric, and three-dimensional pieces. Some of the highlights included handmade modular furniture with a contemporary take on traditional Korean motifs, narrative-driven ceramics inspired by particular animals, and interactive toys made from wood and wool.
My contribution to the exhibition is a jacket with hand embroidered collar, which is one of three samples made for a capsule collection of jackets as part of my final MA outcome. My project was dedicated to studying and experimenting with traditional Russian pearl embroidery, with the primary goal of finding an alternative approach for the creative interpretation of this unique part of national heritage that has travelled through ages with no significant change. Additionally, the project sought to discover the ways of the craft application in contemporary textile and fashion. Researching and experimenting with materials while keeping the traditional embroidery workflow allowed me to gain a range of alternative approaches, which significantly expanded the boundaries of the technique.