Degree Show 2024
Molly Housley
BA Art and Design
My current practice situates itself at the boundary of art and craft, employing traditional quilting techniques to explore pattern, colour and shape through a contemporary artistic lens. To give context to my practice I investigated how quilting and textiles on a whole has historically been viewed as a women’s craft and taken less seriously as an art form in its own right.
The final piece features 3 quilted hangings which observe the journey into abstraction, from more traditional quilting techniques into less orderly arrangements. The triptych is intended to be viewed from left to right to demonstrate this decline in order. To create my works I carefully selected a variety of different textiles, including recycled and repurposed clothing to reconnect with the “make do and mend” attitude of traditional quilting. This also ensures that sustainability is at the centre of my practice.
I chose to use bright and bold pattern and colour within my work, to further stray away from the idea of the quilt being a pretty and quaint object. The placement of the individual elements within the quilts were sensitively considered, and I endeavoured to group similar colours across the three pieces to create a sense of harmony between the works.
The quilts are displayed in a way that emphasises their nature as an artwork, setting them apart from the typical placement of utilitarian quilts strewn on a bed or sofa. They are hung in the space in a way that confronts the viewer rather than comforts, offering an alternative experience of tactility and scale.