Thread Bearing Witness
11th September - 31st October 2021 | Somerset Rural Life Museum
A major exhibition of textile works from Alice Kettle's Thread Bearing Witness project opened at the Somerset Rural Life Museum in autumn 2021. The exhibition was organised by the South West Heritage Trust in collaboration with Somerset Art Works.
Alice Kettle is a contemporary textile/fibre artist based in Somerset. Her Thread Bearing Witness project explores themes of cultural heritage and displacement through the contributions of migrants and women’s groups. The resulting artworks are stitched from stories and imagery of individuals and seek to raise awareness of the global refugee crisis and the empowerment of women.
At the museum three monumental textile works – GROUND, SEA and SKY – formed an immersive installation in the historic Abbey Barn. Also featured was the huge embroidery STITCH A TREE KARACHI, which includes 2,000 stitched trees and was made by women’s groups in Pakistan. New works were on display by Susan Kamara, a refugee from Uganda who is now fulfilling her artistic ambitions as well as working for the NHS.
The exhibition has been organised by the South West Heritage Trust in collaboration with Somerset Art Works.
Thread Bearing Witness Engagement Programme
An associated programme of family-friendly activities also took place, including a family launch event on 18 September as part of Somerset Open Studios. Artist Jane Mowat devised A Tree of Leaves and Flowers – the Thread Bearing Witness engagement programme. Watch her film here. Visitors to the exhibition were invited to stitch a leaf or flower to place on our communal tree which grew at the museum. Workshops with Jane Mowat and Emily Lewin ran throughout Open Studios.
Alice Kettle also worked with pupils from Strode College
Diversity Forum with Alice Kettle and Susan Kamara
On 22nd October, The Somerset arts community met artists Alice Kettle and Susan Kamara in at the Somerset Rural Life Museum
Susan and Alice discussed how art and creativity can be used to explore, create a deeper understanding of, and promote cultural diversity. Susan described how she has used creativity to meet the challenges of migration and express the richness of her Ugandan identity. The forum discussed how the arts can harness individuality, express diversity and the wider debate on who culture is for and can be accessed.
Artist Talk with Alice Kettle
On 30th September, an ‘in person’ and live-streamed talk by Alice Kettle provided a chance to discover more about her work on the Thread Bearing Witness project.
During this talk Alice Kettle discussed how Thread Bearing Witness has developed since it began in 2017. The project was originated by Kettle alongside her daughter Tamsin Koumis, who has a background of working with migrants and refugees and set up the Dunkirk Legal Support Team, enabling access to rights.
Thread Bearing Witness was originally conceived for the Whitworth, the University of Manchester and the Discovery Centre, Winchester. It was financially supported by Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University and public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Thread Bearing Witness was also supported by Hampshire Cultural Trust. Thread Bearing Witness was originated and influenced by the work of Tamsin Koumis and others in the refugee centres in Calais and Greece.
Latest news
-
Culturally Chard is celebrating the last three years and embarking on an exciting new phase! Over the last 3 years Culturally Chard has supported, developed and delivered 140 events plus […]
-
Artists: complete the DACS Earning Survey In order to support their campaigns for fair pay, DACS has commissioned an independent study of visual artists’ earnings from the University of Glasgow […]
-
The Ilminster Arts Centre is inviting all artists to submit work for their annual judged Open Exhibition 2024. The aim is to celebrate the work of established and emerging artists […]
Watch the new Culturally Chard Film!
[Thursday, March 28, 2024]
[Wednesday, March 27, 2024]
Ilminster Arts Centre Open Exhibition 2024
[Tuesday, March 26, 2024]