HAWTHORNE & HEANEY

Embroidery Specialists

Intern

Misshapes: The Making of Tatty Devine

by

20 July – 11 August 2019
Lethaby Gallery (Central Saint Martins), 1 Granary Square, King’s Cross, London, N1C 4AA
Free Entry

By Abi Tominey-Smith

Crafts Council have collaborated with Central Saint Martins within the University Arts London to bring you Tatty Devine’s first solo showcase, including jewellery work, video footage, sketchbook drawings, fashion work and installation pieces. Set in a bright, open setting, reflecting the style of this incredibly cool brand.

University of the Arts London graduates themselves, Harriet Vine and Rosie Wolfenden joined forces about 20 years ago to create the brand Tatty Devine, an original and independent jewellery company based in London. They have challenged the basic conventions of jewellery through their acrylic laser cutting, quirky design and use of scale.

Misshapes: The Making of Tatty Devine London Hand EmbroideryAcid Blossom Ultra Bead Necklace by Tatty Devine.

This body of over 100 work shown spans over their whole creative careers as Tatty Devine, with themes across their collections from Rebellion, Space, Music, Magic, Food to even a reference to Haberdashery!

Being one of the first companies to use laser cutting as a jewellery making technique, their work was bound to stand out. You can see the talent and creative spark of these ladies, as their jewellery is full of originality and personality. The fun colours, shapes and larger scale they’ve played with definitely makes a statement.

Misshapes: The Making of Tatty Devine London Hand Embroidery

Lobster Giant Necklace by Tatty Devine.

Inside Misshapes, there are multiple screens to showing a looped step by step video of how the various materials are turned into wearable jewellery through laser cutting and hand techniques. It shows the process of bending, joining and piecing together such pieces as the Lobster Giant Necklace (above). Many more wacky pieces, similar to the Lobster are on display here.

Tatty Devine are a company very passionate about change and equality which is obvious throughout their work and team with all of their jewellery handmade in the UK by a group of 30 women.

They’ve teamed with The Fawcett Society to fight for women’s rights and often pay homage to the movements such as LGTBQ+ through colour and wording, allowing for their platform to speak up and spread empowering, strong messages.

Misshapes: The Making of Tatty Devine London Hand Embroidery

Courage Calls Necklace (left) and Votes for Women Badge (right) by Tatty Devine

‘Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere’, was a line taken from a speech by feminist Millicent Fawcett that was given after the death of fellow suffragette Emily Davidson. This along with the Votes for Women badges are Tatty Devine’s way of showing support for the suffragettes and women’s rights everywhere. This and many more under the theme of ‘Causes’ are displayed at the exhibition.

Misshapes: The Making of Tatty Devine London Hand Embroidery

Rainbow Halo Instillation with Rosie (left) and Harriet (right) by Tatty Devine, 2018.

Another area covered within Misshapes is their public art, where more recently they have been commissioned to make works for spaces such as the Peninsula Square, Greenwich, where they’ve been able to take their use of scale to a whole new level. Themes of Love, Peace and Magic were the inspiration for this Christmas based instillation. More photographs of their crazy public displays are shown in the exhibition, alongside some of the pieces included.

Altogether, the exhibition was buzzing, innovative and a very engaging experience. With a broad range of subject matters, there’s something for everyone – whether you’re a creative mind or not. It’s definitely a must see!

All images (courtesy from the Misshapes exhibition)

Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019

by

The Royal Academy’s prestigious Summer Exhibition is back once again and this time with a lot to live up to. The Exhibition saw a record number of visitors for its 250th Anniversary curated by Grayson Perry CBE, known for his bold tapestries and ceramics that critique British culture, class and politics. This year the gallery took a sharp turn towards a showcase that although included it’s usual wit and parody, also seemed to dwell in safe and conventional political territory covering themes such as climate change and Brexit.

The Exhibition has been held annually at the Royal Academy since 1769 and is the world’s oldest open submission exhibition. This is an incredibly important event for the art sphere which is often labelled as elitist and untouchable. It gives amateur artists the chance to have their aspirations realised and step into the world of professional artistry many can only dream of.

Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand EmbroideryHawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery

Pictures (from left to right); Macaw – Christopher James, Swaying Trees – Annabel Harrison, Peacock Tree Frog – Sandra Cockayne

On entering the exhibition in Wohl Central Hall you are met with a mass of exciting paintings, photographs and sculptures that hang in abundance on the walls. The hall has become a safari teeming with exotic, mythical beasts that juxtapose artists tame depictions of their beloved pets. Whilst this zoo of misfits is enough to overwhelm the spectator, when looking further you can see the meaning behind the art. Pressure is being put on the public to address the impact humans are having on our environment and in this case there has never been a more poignant time for this discourse within the creative industry.

A popular technique amongst the exhibitors was lithography. It has been used to depict nature as well as the human figure within it and this age old monochrome printing technique allows for detailed depictions by the artists. There was also a noticeable shift towards pastels and charcoal materials being used to create abstract illustrations of landscapes. This year there was unsurprisingly less textile art than previous exhibitions, perhaps this is just a comparison to its predecessor Grayson Perry. Perry works often with tapestry and his interests are entrenched in our British heritage, the textile industry being an essential part of this English Tradition. Nethertheless, Jock Mcfadyen’s paintings are acutely textured and this interest is transferred onto the walls of this years exhibition.

Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery

Pictures (From left to right): Tamatoa – Becca Cameron, Easy Tiger – David Mach

The first gallery you enter, next to Wohl Hall is that curated by the co-ordinator of this years show, Jock McFadyen. It is a pick and mix of photography, painting and sculpture but it all has a naturalistic feel and neutral colour palette which is reflective of McFadyen’s style.

Gallery 2 was put together by Richard Wilson RA and on writing about this gallery the Royal Academy has described Wilson as focusing on art with a strong sense of idea without referencing the human figure.

Jane and Louise Wilson were responsible for multiple rooms in this years exhibition and in Gallery 1 the twins delve deeper into political subject matter. With themes exploring immigration and identity the audience is suddenly hit with a more serious and thoughtful tone.

In the recent history of the Summer Exhibition there has been a room amongst the galleries that has been solely dedicated to the celebration of new architecture, presenting architects ideas and realities. This celebration can be found in the Large Weston Room produced by Spencer de Grey. Of course the focus for this year had to be on sustainable architecture and these environmentally friendly buildings all echo the concerns raised consistently throughout the exhibition. The room is filled with towering wooden models filled with miniatures, a doll-house lovers dream. The sustainable, eco-friendly buildings display what look to be utopian societies. This room is sure to unleash the inner child from even the most serious spectator.

Curator of gallery 4,+ Barbara Rae recently took a trip to the Arctic and this inspired her to put together a gallery filled with soft yet chilling neutrals that provide discourse yet again on the effects humans are having on our planet.

Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery

Pictures (from left to right): An Austere Beauty, Iceberg of Cape Mercy, Baffin Island – Nicholas Jones, Bear from Dump Circus – Nicholas Hicks

One of the most intriguing galleries was sorted by artists Barbara Rae and Hughie O’Donoghue, once again this room is centered on nature, many of the paintings are filled with natural beauty however there is an underlying message in a multitude of the paintings contained within this room, perhaps the best example of these hard-hitting pieces are Richard Devonshire’s Artificial Intelligence and The language of Bees, as well as Michael Canning’s Digitalis 1 and 3.

Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney at RCA Summer Exhibition 2019 London Hand Embroidery

Pictures (from left to right): Artificial Intelligence – Richard Devonshire, The Language of Bees – Richard Devonshire, Digitalis 1 – Michael Canning, Digitalis 2 – Michael Canning

Altogether this years exhibition standouts included the mass display of animals and the natural world as well as the darker mood created by the exploration into how humans were destroying this. It is a circus of delirium depicted through the wildness of nature.

The Summer Exhibition never fails to showcase some of the best artwork this country has to offer, whether you are gazing upon the sculpture of an established celebrity artist or the portrait painted by your next door neighbour these artworks mesh together seamlessly and deliver a fun and reflective experience that is well worth a visit every time. With such an abundance of inspiration contained within these walls this is a playground for creatives of every generation, background and discipline.

By Flo Sargent

Exhibition Information:

RA: Summer Exhibition 2019

Dates: 10th June – 12th August 2019

Location: Royal Academy of Arts,

Burlington House,

Piccadilly,

London,

W1J OBD

For further details and to purchase tickets see website: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/summer-exhibition-2019

 

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz

by

After visiting the Emma Kunz exhibition of visionary drawings at the Serpentine Gallery in May our intern Max was inspired by the artists use of geometrics, spirographs and straight lines. Emma Kunz would ask questions to a computer and using a pendulum and this would this result in a series of spirographs and abstract structured patterns. From this research Max was asked to develop a collection of samples for contemporary bridal wear.

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

A starting point was to take photographs at the exhibition as well as research into contemporary bridal wear and develop mood-boards that would create a coherent story for her samples. She created one mood-board for research photography, combing Emma Kunz’s work with bridal wear and another that went into more detail of techniques and materials.

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

From these moodboards Max started developing drawings and recreating the lines and patterns seen in the exhibition.

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand EmbroideryHawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

These drawings allowed her to begin samples. As Max progressed with her embroidery techniques she produced a range of samples using thread to create the lines seen in Kunz’s work.

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

Max saw the potential for digital embroidery in this project. The neat lines and geometrics could be best interpreted by a machine and this was also reflective of the way Kunz would use a computer in her art work.

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

 

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

Max looked into developing pieces for bridesmaids as well as brides by using beautiful mushroom and rose gold satins with organza.

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

Her final sample was created on a digital embroidery machine with white satin and organza which she has selectively cut away and added subtle embellishment as a finishing touch.

Hawthorne and Heaney inspired by the Visionary Drawings of Emma Kunz London Hand Embroidery

 

All Embroidery by Max Williams for Hawthorne & Heaney

Words By Flo Sargent

Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition

by

At the start of last month, we posted a blog by our intern Kiah from her visit to the David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition. Taking inspiration from this, she produced a series of drawings from the elements she found inspiring.Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryWith her drawing style being quite graphic, she favoured the staircase elements of Adjaye’s designs, bringing in the play fo the light and shadows on the stairs as you can see from the drawings above.

These were then translated into a repeating CAD embroidery design which she embellished with a variety of techniques that she has been practising from the classes  taken at the London Embroidery school

Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryThese can be seen in the addition of the sequins at the top and bottom:

Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

There is also the clever use of some very neat satin stitches in stranded cotton

Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryAnd the more specialist raised cutwork bullion squares to finish it off

Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryWe also asked Kiah to show us how she imaged her textiles being used within an interiors context, so she produced these lovely visualisations of her work as used in a hotel or luxury office space.

Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery Hawthorne & Heaney inspired by the Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

Hawthorne and Heaney Visits David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition

by

British based Architect of Ghanaian descent, Sir David Adjaye OBE, known for his beautifully and carefully thought out landmark structures within the architectural world, is showcasing his past, present and future work at The Design Museum.

Adjaye’s international recognition comes from his ability to immerse himself and fully understand a culture’s past in order to design and build a structure that not only holds the information and artefacts of that specific time, but holds the memory and tells the story of those that were involved and lost during those times. Throughout the exhibition, every room is dedicated to a specific building that has been designed by Adjaye to hold, preserve and experience the memories of that specific time.

Hawthorne and Heaney Visits David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

When you first enter the exhibition, you are met with an introductory room with images of well-known historical landmarks. Here, Adjaye introduces himself with a written statement giving his opinion on how structures of remembrance should be designed, as well as what the exhibition will entail.

Gwangju River Reading Room

Hawthorne and Heaney Visits David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

The first official room of the exhibition was dedicated to the Gwangju River Reading Room which Adjaye was invited to help design. Collaborating with writer, Taiye Salasi, this structure was intended to be designed and made in remembrance of the hundreds of students and citizens who were killed in the South Korean city of Gwangju’s ten day uprising in May 1980. The exchange of book and ideas in this space was intended to keep the memory of those who passed, alive.

The room was dimly lit with the small scale model of the designed reading room, which sat in the middle. Images of the real reading room were lit up on one side of the room and a book shelf on the opposing side. The sombre feel of the room reflected the events, being immersed into the experience of those who suffered all those years ago.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Moving onto the next room, showcasing a landmark, located in Washington’s National Mall which was solely designed and made to remember as well as celebrate the African American community and their contribution to building America during slavery. Adjaye, knowing and learning about their history, came to know the contribution that African American slaves had in many trades including ironwork. From this information, the exterior panelling of the building honours this trade and the slaves that contribute to it. This is only a small snippet of the how Adjaye and his team designed this building to honour and most importantly remember the lives that were lost during slavery in America.

Hawthorne and Heaney Visits David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryHawthorne and Heaney Visits David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

Sclera Pavilion

One of Adjaye’s smaller and temporary structures was the Sclera Pavilion which was made to be a safe space for self-reflection and contemplation for the public, designed in the shape of an eye. Within the room that was dedicated to this building, was a life size version of the design in the corner of the room. Different levels of wood, with different widths, descended from the ceiling gave the room a feel as to what it would have been like within the structure, alongside a smaller scale model of the building which sat in the middle of the room. This room, unlike the others, was lit up changing the feel and overall experience of the room.

Hawthorne and Heaney Visits David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre

Out of the 22 countries directly involved in the Second World War, the UK is the last to build a memorial to commemorate the horrific event in our history. However, this is about to change with Adjaye’s proposed plan of a national landmark for the remembrance of the Holocaust which is to be finished in 2020. The memorial will sit next to Parliament,  with the proposed design including a powerful architectural memorial above ground where 23 bronze fins are located which lead to underground exhibitions which reflect the 22 countries before us who have remembered. This building looks to be architecturally striking and I urge you, when it’s built to go and see this long awaiting structure and exhibitions.

Hawthorne and Heaney Visits David Adjaye’s Making Memory Exhibition London Hand Embroidery
There was so much more amazing things to experience and learn about these structures from this, as well as the other rooms that were dedicated to the Adjaye’s planned proposals for structures such as the National Cathedral of Ghana and the Mass Extinction Memorial Observatory. This exhibition left me in awe. The showcase of all the memorials allowed me to enter that time and learn the importance of remembering the past so that we can shape our future the right way by learning from our mistakes. This exhibition should not be missed!

By Kiah Fisher. All photos taken by Kiah Fisher

Exhibition Details:

David Adjaye: Making Memory Exhibition

Dates: 2nd February 2019 – 5th May 2019

Location: The Design Museum

Opening Times: 10:00- 18:00

Last exhibition entry: 17:00

For ticket pricing see the Design Museum for further details

 

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern

by

 

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern London Hand Embroidery

Six Prayers (1966-7)

 

Anni Albers (1899- 1994) was a leading innovator of 20th Century modernist abstraction. Her work combined the ancient craft of weaving with the ideas and styles of modern art. She was a lady of many trades: an artist; a designer; teacher and a writer. The exhibition explores different aspects of her life: how her work transitions and evolved as she experienced new things as well as the processes she used to develop her ideas about textiles.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern London Hand Embroidery

Anni Albers’s eight-harness Sructo-Artcraft 750 loom (Date unknown, wood and metal)

Her career and passion for weaving started when she began her studies at the Bauhaus (Weimar, Germany). It was her that she met her husband Josef Albers. They emigrated to the US (after the rise of Nazism in Germany resulted in the closer of the Bauhaus) where they both became teachers at the Black Mountain College in North Carolina.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern London Hand Embroidery

Development in Rose II (1952- Linen)

 

This piece has a subtle colour palette with black used to creates accents within the weave. Lots of texture is created with small twists and knots throughout. These are achieved using a technique known as leno or gauze weave; the vertical warp threads twist over each other around the horizontal weft threads.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern London Hand Embroidery

Top left to bottom right: Anni Albers and Alexander Reed: Necklace (c.1940- plastic rings on black grosgrain ribbon), Necklace (c.1940- Bobby pins on metal-plated chain), Necklace (c1940/88 reconstruction of the original made by Mary Emma Harris, Eye hooks and pearls on thread), Necklace (c.1940s- Aluminium washers and red grosgrain ribbon).

 

An interesting section of the exhibit was a glass box filled with wonderful jewellery creations by Anni and a colleague, Alexander Reed. The necklaces shown at the exhibition feature everyday objects such as bobby pins or metal washers. These pieces take items that are mundane and turn them into something unique and sophisticated. Anni Albers was definitely ahead of the times with her inventive ideas, clearly demonstrated here!

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern London Hand Embroidery

Open Letter (1958, cotton)

 

Featuring a wide range a weaving techniques, Open Letter is a striking monochrome piece. Accents of red are dispersed throughout, breaking up the linework that is similar to zentangling that is seen throughout illustration work popular today. Each column of the piece is constructed from little bars, each with their own personality and style.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern London Hand Embroidery

Dotted (1959, wool)

This piece was among many ‘pictorial weavings’, created as artwork to be hung as opposed to fabric for everyday use. Utilising an ancient technique, Anni was able to create bobbles on the weave surface. The gradient of colour and the scattered placement of the dots results in a highly textured, playful piece of work.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits Anni Albers at Tate Modern London Hand Embroidery

Intersecting (1962, Cotton and rayon)

Using only four colours for the plain weave ground, a floating thread has been used to create a raised brocade effect. The unplanned nature of these threads was very pleasing to view; the organised base with the random thread creates a visual oxymoron. Work similar to this one stemmed from drawings of knots, tangled lines and mark making that Anni Albers created.

 

Overall, the exhibition was an excellent glimpse into the creative-mind and thought process of a lady who was an innovator, ahead of her time. This is not a display to be missed, if you get the chance to see it as it closes soon!

 

By Amy Pickard. All photos by Amy Pickard.

 

Exhibition Details:

Anni Albers Exhibition

11th Oct 2018- 27th Jan 2019

Tate Modern

53 Bankside, London SE1 9TG

Open:

Sundays to Thursdays: 10:00- 18:00

Fridays to Saturdays: 10:00- 22:00

Ticket Pricing:

Adults £18 / Concessions & Student £17

See the Tate Modern website for further discounted tickets and details.

 

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits the Yayoi Kusama Exhibition

by

The exhibition features new paintings, including works from the iconic My Eternal Soul series, painted bronze pumpkin and flower sculptures, and a large-scale Infinity Mirrored Room, created for this presentation, Kusama’s twelfth exhibition at the gallery.

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits the Yayoi Kusama Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

Yayoi Kusama exhibition Victoria Miro: Infinity Mirrored Room, 2018

Upon arrival, we were ushered up a vertigo inducingly narrow staircase into a dark upstairs, after a brief queue, we were told that we will have 60 seconds in the Infinity Mirrored Room. Infinity Mirror Rooms are an iconic staple of Kusama’s repertoire of work; once these rooms open their doors to a new city, social media swiftly becomes inundated with these tiny universes of cosmic infinity. 60 seconds is nowhere near long enough to fully appreciate this all encompassing experience, however one cannot complain as the queue was but a fraction of the size of a theme park’s.
Hawthorne & Heaney Visits the Yayoi Kusama Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

Courtesy Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore/Shanghai and Victoria Miro, London/Venice. © YAYOI KUSAMA

 

In the following room, we were greeted with the vision of three immense spotted pumpkin sculptures, another recurring theme in Kusama’s work. Accompanying the sculpture are paintings from the series ‘Dots Obsession’ and other polka dot dominated paintings, this is almost a real-time amalgamation of the whole body experience from the Infinity Room and the everyday life as we see it; fusing both installation and painting together to create a quasi-reality.  

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits the Yayoi Kusama Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

Courtesy Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore/Shanghai and Victoria Miro, London/Venice. © YAYOI KUSAMA

 

Once through this room, we were guided outside to step amongst three larger-than-life sculptures of childlike fantasy polka dotted flowers. Walking through this sculpture terrace feels like entering a scene from The Day of the Triffids, only on a sugar high. Kusama’s poignant hallucinations, for which her art is therapy, are clearly an inspiration for these gigantuan florals. Almost in correlation with Kusama’s rise to fame in recent years, has been the explosion of discussion around mental health and destigmatisation of mental illness.

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits the Yayoi Kusama Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

Courtesy Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore/Shanghai and Victoria Miro, London/Venice. © YAYOI KUSAMA

 

The final room in the exhibition consisted of a wall of 20 square canvases presented edge to edge; each canvas shows a completely unique composition, we could gather no running theme in these paintings bar Kusama’s distinctive painting style. The sensation of feeling overwhelmed returns; each canvas portrays a keyhole insight into Kusama’s mind, thousands of tiny staring eyes wriggling around in the negative space upon the canvas surface. The shapes appear to move around your peripheral vision; as if they are slothing about when their guardian is not watching.

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits the Yayoi Kusama Exhibition London Hand Embroidery

Our intern stood next to the paintings for some size reference!

 

We left the exhibition feeling satisfied that our pattern cravings have been satiated – for the meantime at least! Although small, the exhibition packed a mighty, colour filled punch. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for the next Kusama exhibition in London anytime soon and will be sure to let you know in advance!

 

Yayoi Kusama – The Moving Moment When I Went To The Universe Exhibition Visit

3 October – 21 December 2018

Free Timed Tickets, Currently Sold Out

Victoria Miro Gallery, 16 Wharf Road, N1 7RW

By Jessica Strain

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition

by

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryBeautiful sequined gown, early to mid-1930s. Sequins became popular in the 1920s, inspired by the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. (1922)

The 1930s followed the decade of the roaring 20’s, with the Wall Street crash in 1929, the years that followed saw a great deal of change for Britain and America. With the 1930s, came the beginning of WWII, the end of the Jazz Age and a dramatic change in fashion in accordance with the economic and political transformations of Western society.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryEvening Gown and Capelet, early to mid 1930s, satin. Black and white was considered a very chic colour combination in the 1930s, promoted by designer Elsa Schiaparelli. (1890-1973)

This exquisite exhibition is based around a single collection (courtesy of Cleo and Mark Butterfield) consisting of 1930s daywear and eveningwear. The exhibition began with an array of classic dresses, would have been at the height of fashion in the 30s. The impact of the Art Deco movement (which took its name from the international Arts Décoratif et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925) on fashion in the 30s was profound; it was characterised by highly stylised natural and geometric forms. Something that struck us as soon as we walked in was how much the fabrics used to construct the garments were angled towards the act of wearing; specific fabrics such as satin and crepe were used to glisten in the lights of a nightclub – the wonderful art of using materials for their glamorous properties!

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryEvening Gown, early 1930s, Satin. Wonderful ruffled open back gown with gathered bow motif.

Glamorous. Chic. Timeless. Three words that instantly spring to mind when a vision of floor length satin and crepe gowns appeared like a mirage through the walls of the fashion and textile museum. These liquid satin, bias cut gowns – pioneered by Madeleine Vionnet – ooze sophistication and sensual night-time glamour. On the dance floor of the 1930s, everyone was equal; all class, economic and racial differences were left on the side lines.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryEvening gown, early to mid-1930s, satin. A salmon-pink bias cut gown with beaded swirl motif. The caplet sleeves emphesise the feminine fluidity of the gown.

Cinema became part of everyday life in the interwar years; Cinema buildings popped up all over the country; housewives would be able to view a matinee screening and still be home in time for the children! The silver screen was an immense factor in the glamorisation of evening wear fashion in the 1930s and the rise of ready to wear garments; cheaper fabrics such as lamé were favoured over traditional embroidery, which was not quite as decadent but almost as lustrous.Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryEvening gown, early 1930s, satin. The glamorous style was reinforced by Hollywood during a decade of luxurious films that provided the much needed escapism from the realities of daily life.

In the room called ‘Whistle! While you work’ it was clear that the major shift in working class women becoming mass consumers was aided by media outlets such as magazines, it was explained how this shift has been an important factor in how we shop today. The popularisation of department stores and the philosophy of ‘make do and mend’ in the austerity of The Depression also led to a much more accessible ‘Ready To Wear’ trend rising. This revolution in ready to wear clothing could be seen of as a factor in our current fast-fashion crisis.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryEvening gown and jacket, mid 1930s. Heavy embroidery of the previous decade were discarded and replaced with cheaper fabrics such as lamé.

The 1930s gave way to the act of shopping (usually in department stores) and window-shopping becoming part of popular culture. The advancement of technology and women in the workplace (pre marriage, of course, due to the ‘marriage bar’ forcing women to resign from their jobs when wed) meant that fabrics could now be produced on a much larger and therefore cheaper scale.

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryThe 1930s were a golden age for the art of the portrait photograph. On show was a vast selection of portraits from 3 leading studio photographers; Dorothy Wilding, Madame Yevonde and Paul Tanqueray.

The finale of the exhibition wowed us with a patriotic display of all things red, white and blue to commemorate the coronation of George VI. An interesting note which helped us imagine the atmosphere of the day was added in the exhibition guide: ‘Hotels were full to the seams and many people who wanted to catch a glimpse of the royal coach resorted to sleeping on pavements and in the parks, creating camps and latrines, which author Virginia Woolf likened to scenes of the Crimea.’

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroiderySome Day My Prince … Will Come! A section of the exhibition celebrating the coronation of King George VI on 12 May 1937; all things blue, red and white lined the streets of Britain.

The exhibition was a delightful insight in to all things 30s, from the glitzy gowns of the dancehall floors to the realities of women being barred from the workplace: a truly comprehensive experience!

Hawthorne & Heaney visits the Night & Day Exhibition London Hand EmbroideryDress, late 1930s, crepe. Blue was a popular colour of 1937 as it was considered patriotic. ‘Marlborough blue’, in partocular featured heavily in this year and was named after the royal palace.

By Jessica Strain. All photos by Jessica Strain.

Exhibition details:

Night & Day: 1930’s Fashion and Photographs

Fashion and Textile Museum

83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF

Open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am–6pm

Thursdays until 8pm

Sundays, 11am–5pm

12 October 2018 – 20 January 2019

£9.90 adults / £8.80 concessions / £7 students

Children under 12 are free