Rites of Passage

Embroidered samples/ pieces, work in progress, with supporting artwork exhibited at the international Making Research: Researching Making Conference, University of Aarhus, School of Architecture. Juried selection. Pamela Johnson in her introductory essay 'Moments of Being' identifies the commonality of the relationship between memory and textiles and our moments of being, of experience that 'cluster(s) around and is contained within the textile object'. This work investigates such moments of being, personal histories and collaborative narratives relating to memory, cloth, and rites of passage. The work is based in the narrative tradition of embroidery articulating a process as Benjamin writes 'responding to the fabric of life and concepts of knowledge interwoven with imagination'. The textile pieces are based on a practice-led developmental approach with the intention to explore and develop understanding of the interaction of the sensibilities of the hand/ craft practice applied to the use of digital technology. The work for the installation includes finished and developmental samples with supporting photographs and text providing additional understanding of contextual dimension. Textile materials include metallic, polyester and cotton threads, nylon net, silk and cotton. Footnotes: Johnson, P. 1997. Moments of Being. Jerwood Prize for Applied Arts 1997- Textiles. London, 1985, p 72. ibid Benjamin, W. (2006), Berlin Childhood around 1900, translated by Howard Eiland, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge/Mass. & London/England, 2006. The aim of the event is to provide a purpose-made forum for making and developing knowledge and understandings of what it means to make research and to research making. This event is initiated by the Architecture, Design and Art Practice Training research (ADAPTr) Initial Training Network, a four-year collaboration between seven creative practice research institutions. ADAPTr aims to significantly increase European research capacity through valuing practice and creative processes. At its core is the development of a deep understanding of the knowledge and the knowledge processes which are embedded in a creative practice. ADAPTr ITN has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013. From 165 abstracts, 50 presentations were selected through a process of peer-review by our international scientific committee. In keeping with the field of practice-based research and theme of making, around half of the presentations will be structured around exhibits of materials, artifacts, and sound and video works