The Selkie : Finland
A Collaborative Craft Installation
Imogen Di Sapia : Textiles & Elaine Bolt : Ceramics
23.02.19 – 03.03.19
Lokal +
Annankatu 11
Helsinki
Finland
Weaver Imogen Di Sapia & Ceramicist Elaine Bolt join forces to craft a collaborative one-week show at Lokal +; the exhibition satellite space of Finnish craft gallery Lokal Helsinki.
A conversation developed between the Brighton-based craftswomen in late 2018 discussing the possibility of an artistic collaboration, which combined their mutual love of raw materials, texture, process and storytelling.
The works exhibited at Lokal + will be the result of an exploration process of materials used by both makers; Imogen favouring textured raw wools, wild silks and rustic linens, and Elaine working with hand-dug river clay, lichens and wooden elements in her practice.
Sharing, exploring and conversing with one-another’s materials, these makers will share the resulting works as an installation, which represents a conversation within contemporary crafts; exploring material practice, narratives in object making, and the use of local raw elements to create artistic works.
For more information on the artists and gallery, please see their respective websites and Instagram pages;
@elainebolt @lokalhelsinki @kalmakurki
#craft #collaboration #materialpractice #craftgallery #lokal #textiles #ceramics
Some things take their sweet time to line up, this moment has been about 18months in the growing, and today I sat down with a massive white wool sack and starting spinning this beautiful, ethical, traceable, local and ecologically cleaned wool from @olisgang & @natfibreco ☁️🐑 on it’s own, not blended, just as it is. This way of working is growing amongst many makers, not just because of our duty to care for the environment and other creatures, but because we are part of local communities and are mindful, small scale and regional, able to make works that are aligned with our personal and collective visions. I recently had a lovely meeting with @neptunehomeofficial to discuss my work as part of their Craft Initiative, and one theme that we discussed at length was accountability, and the genuine mission of ethical grass-roots, independent makers. I’m also inspired to develop this principle in my work by projects such as @bristolcloth who are crowdfunding their first bolt of local cloth; from the wool to the botanical plant dyes, to the weaving mill, all within a 5mile radius. Being a studio maker means that I can invest in the materials I source and create works based on those materials. Having trained in fashion, an industry that is in the most part toxic, I am grateful for the freedom I have found in designing from the source material; raw, wild and characterful. We cannot have all we want, and in the world of consumerism, the fashion industry being my bete noire, we must rethink design, and instead look around, can you as a designer adapt to the materials on your doorstep, can you invest your time and savings in a worthwhile endeavour, can you say you are doing your part to address the issues of material waste, throw-away trend-led production lines, can you change your practice to contribute to the whole. The time is now 🕸☕️ #craft #making #sustainability #materialpractice #ethicaltextiles #spinning #weaving
Shingle and Shale at the Fishing Museum, Brighton 