Textile and fiber art, historically rooted in tradition, has evolved into a versatile and dynamic medium that engages with a wide range of contemporary issues. This essay reflects on the diverse approaches and narratives presented by textile artists and curators at a recent international panel, exploring the multifaceted roles of textiles in conveying emotions, telling personal and collective stories, engaging with politics, and acting as a therapeutic medium. The panelists, representing different cultural backgrounds and artistic visions, showcased the intensity of textile art in addressing themes of motherhood, memory, sustainability, activism, and healing. The conclusion highlights the unique ability of textiles to connect touch with thought, craft with concept, and the personal with the political, positioning textile art as a powerful tool for both creative expression and social change.
Textiles have long been viewed as utilitarian objects, bound to everyday life through clothing, shelter, and domesticity. Yet, textile and fiber art have transcended their functional origins, becoming powerful mediums for emotional expression, storytelling, and activism. This paper explores how contemporary textile artists and curators are using fibers, threads, and fabrics to tackle a wide range of issues, from personal narratives to global concerns. Through an examination of various panelists' presentations at an international textile art event, we uncover the versatility and intensity of textile art, which spans across emotions, family stories, political discourse, and even the healing arts.
Memory and Collective Stories: Weaving the Past into the Present ____ Textiles are also vehicles for memory, carrying with them the traces of the past. Esther Grau Quintana’s work as co-curator of Josep Grau-Garriga’s exhibition highlights this connection, focusing on how memory is interwoven into the very fabric of his tapestries. Through tactile materials, Grau-Garriga evokes the personal and collective histories that shape identity and culture, illustrating how textiles can act as a material archive of human experience. Zala Orel’s exploration of The Story of a String and a Stone delves into the historical significance of textiles, linking ancient practices to contemporary artistic narratives. Textiles, through their tactile qualities, offer a tangible connection to the past, reminding us of the hands that wove them, the stories they tell, and the cultures they represent. This intersection of past and present in textile art allows for a reflection on continuity and change, making textiles a medium that bridges generations.
Politics and Activism: Threads of Social Change ____ Textiles are not only personal but deeply political. They have been used historically as symbols of power, trade, and oppression, and contemporary artists are reclaiming this medium to address social and political issues. Dominika Krogulska-Czekalska’s Transcending Threads explores post-textile discourse in activism, examining how textiles can be used to challenge societal norms and advocate for change. In her work, fibers become tools of resistance, interweaving personal expression with collective action. The versatility of textiles also extends into the realm of sustainability, as seen in Anto Lloveras’ Re-(t)exHile project, which explores textile architecture and sustainable fashion in Africa. Lloveras’ work highlights the environmental impact of textile production and consumption, advocating for more eco-conscious approaches to design and material use. This political dimension of textile art underscores the responsibility of artists to address urgent global issues through their practice.
Healing and Therapy: The Soothing Power of Textiles ____ One of the most profound aspects of textile art is its therapeutic potential. Brigida Ribeiros’ exploration of Therapeutic Textiles reveals the healing properties of gauze, a fabric often associated with medical care. Ribeiros demonstrates how textiles, through their softness and flexibility, can promote healing—both physical and emotional. Her work emphasizes the role of textiles as mediators of touch, where the act of weaving, stitching, or draping becomes a form of care. Laurita Siles’ Mutur Beltz project similarly emphasizes the connection between touch and healing, exploring how eco-conscious textiles can foster a deeper sense of connection between people and their environment. By engaging with sustainable materials, Siles advocates for a form of textile art that is not only healing for individuals but for the planet as well.
Textile and fiber art, through its versatility and intensity, opens a space for diverse forms of expression, ranging from deeply personal emotions to broad political activism. The presentations by these international artists and curators demonstrate how textiles can be used to convey complex narratives, connect past and present, and address both individual and collective experiences. The tactile nature of textiles makes them particularly suited to exploring themes of care, memory, and healing, while their cultural and historical significance imbues them with a potent political charge. Whether used to reflect on personal experiences like motherhood or to challenge societal structures, textile art provides a rich, multi-layered medium through which stories are told, emotions are felt, and change is enacted. In conclusion, textile art is not merely a decorative or utilitarian craft; it is a profound mode of artistic expression that holds the power to connect touch with thought, craft with concept, and the personal with the political. Through their work, these artists demonstrate the enduring relevance of textile art in contemporary discourse, making it a vital tool for both creative exploration and social change.
Anto Lloveras, Guimaraes September 2024 https://shorturl.at/zujOm
