I am delighted to be taking part in this latest exhibition by the Textile Study Group. I have made new work specifically for this show, entitled ‘Manes’.
Why UNmaking?
We build our skills through experience, and as a result, our material knowledge and understanding become embodied in the work itself. There is a deep connection here: materiality explored over time through repetitive action builds tacit knowledge—an embodied understanding that textile artists can often take for granted.
UNmaking challenges this. It is not simply about taking something apart; it is a deliberate act of deconstruction that can become a powerful journey of discovery. It asks us to question our assumptions and explore new directions by embracing the processes of unravelling, cutting, and unpicking. UNmaking invites us to consider whether a work poised on the verge of disintegration or collapse can be accepted as complete, and what it means to an audience when a piece exists somewhere between made and unmade.
UNmaking is a thinking process. It is an act of revealing and understanding. Through unmaking, we can unravel the history of a technique or fibre, explore where a process originated, and question whether an essential part of our practice lies in the act of cutting up or unpicking. By engaging with unmaking, we can learn when something is truly finished and how to push our creative boundaries. As a community of curious, inquisitive makers, we believe in sharing ideas about process with intention. UNmaking offers an opportunity to review, reflect, and refine our work, allowing us to pause and interrogate why we create.
UNmaking: An Exploration of Process and Practice
16 February – 27 March 2026
Constance Howard Gallery
Goldsmiths
London
SE14 6NW
12 September – 8 November 2026
Museum in the Park
Stroud
GL5 4AF
For more information, please visit https://textilestudygroup.co.uk/ or our Instagram page for images of work that is included in this exhibition https://www.instagram.com/textile_study/