Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park, London
17 August – 9 October 2005
http://pumphousegallery.org.uk

Curated by Freddie Robins and Sandra Ross

“ Ceremony was born out of a discussion about the relevance, application and value of craft skills in today’s society and the need to platform contemporary craft in visual arts venues, especially in London. An idea that we kept coming back to was the way that unique crafted objects play an integral role in the execution of traditional rites of passage, from the knitted christening shawl to the gold wedding ring and finally the floral funeral wreath. A period of research ensued and after contacting numerous artists, making many studio visits and having discussions with peers about this concept, we devised an exhibition that brought together an eclectic brew of works, performances and projects that explored the performative relationship between object and ritual. Many of the works and projects were especially commissioned for this exhibition and covered a diverse range of practices including cake decorating, metal work, film, knitting, live art, stone carving, quilting and floristry.

As well as exploring the rituals themselves, this exhibition provided a glimpse of the diverse range of craft practices and techniques used by contemporary practitioners. It gave exposure to under-valued skills such as cake decorating, floristry and knitting, and brought into question the traditional hierarchical domains of fine and applied art.”

(Text taken from the Foreward for Ceremony publication, written by Freddie Robins and Sandra Ross.)

Exhibitors were Barby Asante, Elizabeth Callinicos, Rachael Matthews (Cast Off), Tim Davies, Catherine Hawes, Rozanne Hawksley, Julie Henry, Serena Korda, Laura Potter, Freddie Robins , Chris Stewart, Hans Stofer, Shane Waltener and Welfare State International.

2005
Hand knitted 2-ply Shetland Lace Yarn 

1000 × 1000 mm
Knitted by Audrey Yates
Commissioned by Pump House Gallery, London

Installation in Ceremony, Pump House Gallery, London 17 August – 9 October 2005. Shown alongside Serena Korda’s Love, Honour and Obey, 2004

My work often employs humour and text to communicate messages. I like to play on words to make visual suggestions. In this commissioned piece, “It Sucks”, I subvert the traditional hand knitted Shetland Lace christening shawl to communicate the very mixed feelings that I had upon the birth of my daughter and becoming a new mother.

Photography: Colin Guilemet

24 February – 15 May 2005

Crafts Council Gallery, London 

www.craftscouncil.org.uk


Touring to: City Gallery, Leicester, Knitting & Stitching Show (Alexandra Palace, London, RDS, Dublin and RDS, Dublin) Oriel Davies Gallery, Powys, Wales

Curated by Freddie Robins and Katy Bevan

Knit 2 Together: Concepts in Knitting is the first knitting exhibition by the Crafts Council since 1986. It takes a close look at contemporary knitting in art practice, especially work that pushes the perceived boundaries within the world of knitting. By focussing on the possibilities that the craft allows, and emphasizing technique, process, structure and material, Knit 2 Together takes an in-depth look at the individual stitch. Once previous associations are recognised and removed, knitting can be rehabilitated as a first class craft.

The exhibitors are representative of different strands in knitting today, from the self-taught art of Marie-Rose Lortet, to the highly technical digital imagery of Kelly Jenkins. The majority of the exhibitors are based in the UK, while the US, Canada, Japan and France are also represented.”

(Taken from the Crafts Council leaflet for Knit 2 Together: Concepts in Knitting, written by Katy Bevan)

Exhibitors were Andy Diaz Hope, Francoise Dupre, Kelly Jenkins, Ruth Lee, Marie-Rose Lortet, Rachael Matthews, Susie McMurray, Janet Morton, Celia Pym, Freddie Robins, Takehiko Sanada, Stephanie Speight, Jemma Sykes, Shane Waltener and Donna Wilson.

Photography: Ed Barber/Crafts Council

2004

Joint residency with Ben Coode-Adams

Work in progress in studio

How to make a piece of work when you are too tired to make decisions
2004 machine knitted wool, dress pins
Dimensions variable

How to make a piece of work when you are too tired to make decisions (detail)

This piece of work was conceived of during the first few months of my daughter’s life when I was lying in bed, over tired but unable to sleep. I knew that when I did manage to make work again it would no longer be possible for me to approach it in the same way that I had before. My studio practice was built on continuity of time and thought, which was no longer available to me. My work is technically challenging and even during my pregnancy I had found it increasingly difficult to make the necessary decisions, let alone do the required mathematical equations. For sometime prior to this I had also been considering how I might go about making abstract pieces, up until this time all my work has been of a figurative nature. My work had also been increasing in scale and I wanted this to continue. With much less time available to me the only way that this was possible was to make smaller components which, when placed together, would form a large work.

This piece aimed to address all of the above. It took the decision making away from me and let it rest on the throw of a dice. It also enabled me to make pieces of work in very short periods of time where continuity of time or thought was not necessary. I could make work when I was tired or even give the dice and instructions to someone else and they could make it for me, no pattern necessary! Although in the past I have adopted a very controlled approach to my studio practice I have always loved serendipity. The idea of making something through chance held great appeal for me.

I used 3 dice, one to decide the colour of the yarns that I would use, one to give me numbers for stitches and rows (3, 4, 8, 12, 15 and 17) and the other to decide the actions: “knit”, “hook up side of knitting”, “turn knitting”, “make row of lace holes then knit”, “decrease 1 stitch fully-fashioned at the beginning of each row” and “increase 1 stitch fully-fashioned at the beginning of each row”. Each individual piece was made using 10 actions. The instructions, numbers dice and actions dice were modified after several experiments to give more consistently successful results. The finished piece is on going. The arrangement of individual pieces can be changed and it can be added to at anytime. The instructions and dice are open to modification should it become necessary or should I feel like it.

2002
machine knitted wool, knitting needles
2000 × 680 × 380 mm
In the collection of the Crafts Council, London

Craft Kills is a self-portrait based on the well-recognised image of Saint Sebastian being martyred. Instead of arrows piercing my skin I have knitting needles. The title immediately brings to mind the old adage of “dying for your art” but what I am much more concerned with is the stereotypical image that craft, and in particular knitting, has, of being a passive, benign activity. How would it be if craft was considered as dangerous or subversive?   Since conceiving of this piece the world suffered the events of September 11th and its aftermath. You can no longer fly with knitting needles in your hand luggage. Knitting is now classed as a dangerous activity.

(Statement written for Flexible 4: Identities catalogue, 2004)

Photography: Douglas Atfield