Tag: travel

  • Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of 80s London

    A new exhibition is about to open in London’s Fashion and Textiles Museum, celebrating the fashion of the 1980s alternative scene. In 1985, Leigh Bowery, designer and performance artist, opened Taboo, a nightclub that became part of legend. This show is centred on the club, and showcases the film, photography, costume and accessories that made…

  • The Australian autograph textile with a South African link

    In 1894, as was a custom in those days, a quilt was created to raise funds for a new Anglican church in Sunbury, Australia. People were able to subscribe to the undertaking by having their names, signatures, motifs or initials embroidered onto squares that were then stitched together to form the completed quilt. This particular…

  • Spotify this week

    Each week a playlist is curated to reflect the blog articles. The whole playlist is available on the Spotify platform and can be heard by clicking on the player above or by searching for “Music to read a blog by” on Spotify.

  • This week’s Spotify playlist

    Each week the blog is accompanied by a Spotify playlist of pieces that are somehow connected to the entries. To listen to the playlist you can click on the player above or search for “Music to read a blog by” on the Spotify platform. If you have a paid subscription you will hear all the…

  • The identity of language

    It is the end of te wiki o te reo Māori – Māori language week. Language is the key to identity and so it has often been subject to the politics of the day. There is debate about how natural the death of a language is, and research on the topic, but what is undeniable…

  • Tau Lewis

    Tau Lewis is a Candian artist who lives in the United States where her first solo show in the country has opened. Using textiles and found objects Lewis has created a mythological world, populated by huge figures surrounding a quilt with a starfish at its centre. Spirit Level is monumental storytelling; an exploration of materials…

  • Friedrich Hundertwasser in Aotearoa

    The Austrian-born architect and and artist, Friedrich Stowasser, popularly known as “Hundertwasser”, a pseudonym, moved to North New Zealand in the 1970s where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. Known for his bright colourful works, for his stance against rigidity, and for embracing a life that included nature, Hundertwasser left a…

  • Creative Click – a photography show

    Calling any West Coast photographers out there…

  • This week’s Spotify playlist

    Each blog is accompanied by a Spotify playlist, a curated list that refers to articles on the blog. Sometimes the audio has an obvious connection, sometimes it is more oblique. To listen click on the player above. Paying subscribers will be able to hear all the audio uninterrupted. Those with a free subscription will hear…

  • The joyful art of Maungarongo Te Kawa

    The Māori artist, Maungarongo Te Kawa, uses an array of techniques and materials to create fabulous, marvellous and wonder-filled quilts. “Ron” Te Kawa uses fabrics to convey messages to uplift, explore and explain his world. He recently undertook a residency in Norway; his words speak for themselves. Maungarongo Te Kawa was a keynote speaker at…