My practice is changing
I am moving away from a studio based practise like painting or printing towards a practise where I can work with people.
In the past I have been the most content when I was working in the print studio, which meant working with other people around me,
but since I have started to research for my dissertation about participation and textile, it has become more clear for me, that I see myself rather in taking part in collaborative projects or initiating my own projects.
Mark Leahy introduced me to the Even Feed project, which was curated by Gareth Ballyn.
Even Feed commemorated Issac Singer’s ( as in Singer, the sewing machine) 200 year birthday.
individual people and to groups took part: the brief was to create a piece of clothing from simple nature cotton fabric.
the art work was the whole project, the time they spend together sewing and sharing their stories, not the exhibition at the end of it.
this is a kind of work I feel at home with.
www.garethballyn.co.uk/2012/02/even–feed-2/
Sewing the wedding dress
Mark , who took part in this project, sewed a jacket his mother had sewn for his father 50 years ago.
he still had the original pattern and the recite for the material.
Image from the pattern used by Mark Leahy
Mark Leahy | writer – artist – project manager
MARK LEAHY is a writer, artist, teacher, and project manager operating among textual practices, performance, and live and installed arts.
One Stitch at Time 