Very late to this one. I just about made my visit before the exhibition closes tomorrow. Textile/Fibre fine art is becoming increasingly acknowledged as a valid and serious art form (previous examples on this blog here, here, here and here ). This small but this exhibition at Saatchi Gallery curated by Helen Adams further reinforces the case for textiles to be seen on a par with traditional fine art practices. It features a list of recognised global textile artists who give us new idiosyncratic definitions of what textile art can be. The exhibition encompasses the surprising variety and versatility of the genre, from the delicate, painstakingly and laborious hand-stitched works of Jenni Dutton resulting in an almost photographic portrait outcome, to the bolder crocheted works employing a strong sense of colour and pattern in the work of Magda Sayeg. Saatchi Gallery appear to really like the work of Anna Von Freyburg at Saatchi as this is her third appearance across three different exhibitions at the gallery in just a year (here). All traditional centuries old textile mediums are put to good use in the exhibition including techniques as diverse as tapestry, weaving, knitting, crochet, applique and embroidery. The showstopper though is the semi-sculptural installation comprised of varying shades of denim by Ian Berry, featuring an exotic tiled garden with hanging foliage and pool with lotus flowers and koi carp. These are all exciting works in their own right though, and well-deserving of this showcase.
