Flowerfield invites you to participate in new textile project Woven Hug this Summer
Tue, May 23, 2023
Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart is excited to announce a new textile project this summer and they are looking for help from the community.
Woven Hug is an innovative participatory project that will provide residents of the Causeway Coast and Glens area with the opportunity to reunite, reconnect and reflect following the pandemic.
This unique project, initially delivered in Monterrey, Mexico during spring 2022 sees talented artists Tere Chad and Cordelia Rizzo join Flowerfield for a summer residency and the team are thrilled to welcome them for this second iteration of Woven Hug.
Employing the practice of arpillera, also known as burlap techniques, the project aims to craft a large textile piece, symbolising an embrace. Using recycled materials, it will promote sustainability in response to fast fashion's damaging impact on the environment.
This project will be a real community effort and residents can participate in two ways - by either donating fabric to Flowerfield by 19th June or by joining one of the free workshops to help design and embroider embellishments that will be attached to an outdoor sculpture.
The finished piece will be two arms extending from the first-floor façade of Flowerfield Arts Centre and will be displayed through the summer months meaning visitors will be greeted with a welcoming embrace as they enter through reception.
From 19th June until 5th July, Flowerfield will be running free textile workshops for local community groups. If you would like more information on how your community group can get involved, please get in touch with amy.donaghey@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk.
Saturday 24th June and 1st July will see drop-in sessions for the public. These sessions are free but must be booked in advance at flowerfield.org
If you are a student, creative, textile artist, fashion designer, or someone skilled in embroidery or sewing, you can volunteer your time to support Tere and Cordelia in facilitating these workshops.
Get in touch with amy.donaghey@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk to sign up, or to find out more.
There will be panel talk on Thursday, 29th June reflecting our textile heritage and its political impact and we invite everyone to join us for the official launch of the final ‘hug’ on Thursday, 6th July.
For more information on Woven Hug please visit flowerfield.org or call Flowerfield Reception on 028 7083 1400.
The Woven Hug project is delivered in partnership Linen Biennale, Ulster University, Queen’s University and the curatorial platform Conflict Textiles, and supported by using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs.
It will provide participants with a space to reflect on various topics that will be woven into the final sculpture including Northern Ireland society post-Good Friday Agreement, the textile heritage of the region, the historical role of women in society, our beautiful landscapes, and the impact of climate change upon them.
