Song Dynasty, Rae-Yen Song. Photo by Tiu-Makkonen
Material Worlds: Contemporary Artists and Textiles is a compelling group exhibition presented by Hayward Gallery Touring, exploring the diverse and experimental ways artists are utilising textiles in contemporary art. Featuring works from 15 UK-based artists, the exhibition highlights the innovative and subversive potential of textiles, transforming familiar materials into surprising and thought-provoking artworks. The exhibition, curated by Caroline Achaintre, features works by artists including Caroline Achaintre, Jonathan Baldock, Phyllida Barlow, Marc Camille Chaimowicz, Alexandre da Cunha, Holly Hendry, Tonico Lemos Auad, Paul Maheke, Anna Perach, Yelena Popova, Paloma Proudfoot, Yinka Shonibare, Rae-Yen Song, Tenant of Culture and Zadie Xa, and showcases the versatility of textiles in addressing themes like gender, identity, and cultural history.
Beginning its UK tour at the Mead Gallery at Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Material Worlds reimagines the intimate and domestic qualities of textiles to create bold, unsettling, and theatrical artworks. From Phyllida Barlow’s Untitled: Canvasracks—an anti-monumental sculpture made of multicoloured canvas and concrete—to Holly Hendry’s kinetic sculpture Slacker, which reflects on industrial processes and waste, the exhibition pushes the boundaries of how textiles can be used in art. Other notable pieces include Paloma Proudfoot’s The Mannequins Reply, a ceramic assemblage incorporating textile elements that challenge traditional methods of garment-making and pattern cutting.
《材質世界：當代藝術家與紡織藝術》是由 Hayward Gallery Touring 主辦的一個令人著迷的群展，探索當代藝術家在使用紡織材料時的多樣性和實驗性手法。展覽匯集了15位英國藝術家的作品，強調紡織材料的創新與顛覆性潛力，將熟悉的材質轉化為令人驚喜並發人深省的藝術創作。此次展覽由卡羅琳·阿尚特（Caroline Achaintre）策展，參展藝術家包括Caroline Achaintre, Jonathan Baldock, Phyllida Barlow, Marc Camille Chaimowicz, Alexandre da Cunha, Holly Hendry, Tonico Lemos Auad, Paul Maheke, Anna Perach, Yelena Popova, Paloma Proudfoot, Yinka Shonibare, Rae-Yen Song, Tenant of Culture以及Zadie Xa，展現紡織材料在探討性別、身份與文化歷史等議題上的多樣性和靈活性。
展覽將於考文垂的沃里克藝術中心 Mead Gallery 開啟英國巡展，《材質世界》重新賦予紡織品親密而家庭化的特質，創造出大膽、令人不安且充滿戲劇張力的藝術作品。展品從菲莉達·巴洛的《無題：帆布架》——一件由多彩帆布和混凝土構成的反紀念性雕塑，到霍莉·亨德里的動態雕塑《懶散者》，這件作品反思了工業流程與廢棄物問題，展覽不斷拓展紡織材料在藝術中的可能性。其他值得關注的作品還包括帕洛瑪·普勞德富特（Paloma Proudfoot）的《模特兒的回應》，這是一件融合紡織元素的陶瓷裝置，挑戰了傳統服裝製作與裁剪的觀念。
The exhibition places a strong emphasis on the cultural history of textiles while highlighting their contemporary significance. Themes of community, race, and myth are explored through fabric’s familiar yet transformative potential. Artists like Jonathan Baldock, Paul Maheke, and Anna Perach bring forward new perspectives on the material’s ability to tell stories, ranging from the personal to the cosmic.
展覽強調了紡織品的文化歷史，同時突出了其在當代的意義。展覽通過紡織品那既熟悉又具變革潛力的特性，探討了社群、種族與神話等主題。像喬納森·博爾多克（Jonathan Baldock）、保羅·馬赫克（Paul Maheke）和安娜·佩拉赫（Anna Perach）等藝術家，帶來了關於紡織材料講述故事的新視角，這些故事範圍從個人的經歷延伸至宇宙的探索。
As part of its UK tour, the exhibition is accompanied by collaborative projects with local communities. One such project is a new textile work created by local participants under the guidance of artist Julia McConnell, which will be displayed at the Mead Gallery in November 2024. This community-focused approach not only enriches the exhibition but also underscores the role of textiles in fostering social and cultural connections.
作為此次英國巡展的一部分，展覽還伴隨著與當地社區的合作項目。其中一個項目是由當地參與者在藝術家朱莉亞·麥康奈爾（Julia McConnell）的指導下創作的一件全新紡織作品，該作品將於2024年11月在 Mead Gallery 展出。這種以社區為中心的方式不僅豐富了展覽的內容，也強調了紡織品在促進社會與文化聯繫中的重要作用。
Material Worlds is a testament to the evolving relationship between artists and textiles, offering a fresh take on a medium often associated with domesticity and craft. With its thought-provoking artworks and rich thematic diversity, the exhibition stands as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of everyday materials when placed in the hands of visionary artists.
《材質世界》見證了藝術家與紡織品之間不斷演變的關係，為這一通常與家庭生活和工藝聯繫在一起的媒材提供了全新的視角。通過其發人深省的藝術作品和豐富的主題多樣性，展覽強有力地提醒著人們，日常材料在富有遠見的藝術家手中，能夠釋放出非凡的變革潛力。
Hayward Gallery Touring-Material Worlds: Contemporary Artists and Textiles
Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
9 October 2024 – 15 December 2024
Djanogly Gallery, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham
May 2025 – July 2025
The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, Cheltenham
September 2025 – January 2026
Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, London
January 2026 – May 2026
Edited by Rinka Fan
