Quilts 1700-2010

The exhibition 'Quilts 1700-2010' at the V&A was amazing! My project is heavily influenced by textiles and i am using the free hand embroidery machine to create the majority of my work. In the gallery itself the walls were painted PINK!!! i found this choice of colour to be really fitting as the majority of textiles work is create by female artist. Textiles has always been a female associated practise which gives the subject matter of artist such as Tracey Emin and Caren Garfen gives added layers of feminine meaning to their practise.

For the majority of my essays and projects i research work by Tracey Emin, which is why when visiting 'Quilts' i was so existed to see 'To meet my past'.

The way the gallery had displayed the piece gave the viewer no room to move about the piece, as you could only view it from one side. This was disappointing as i couldn't see all of the imagery or read the majority of the text. This layout gave my something to consider when creating my work.

It was at 'Quilts' that i first saw work by the artist Caren Garfen, 'How many times do i have to repeat myself'. This piece, like the majority of her work, is based on the subject matter 'Women and Housework'. I think her choice of medium, textiles, is well suited to her subject matter. She also chooses to work from home and not in a studio which adds to the homely feel of her domestic subject matter.

Since visiting 'Quilts' I have conducted further research into the artist Caren Garfen.

In this months Embroidery magazine there is a 6 page article dedicated just to Garfen, there is a really inspirational quote within it that says 'I'm an artist who uses textiles to convey my message.' This is key to me as i want to use textiles to portray my subject matter.

I love the use of Caren Garfen line drawn images on appropriate items; Tea towels, table clothes, tea pot (ect)

The idea of worked onto relevant objects is something that i considered in my last blog; my idea was to use the quote 'I shall want some linen from your house tomorrow' and sew this on top of bedsheets with added imagery.