Open House: Tamworth Textile Triennial celebrates the open-ended, porous nature of textiles practice today. It introduces a group of artists who have not previously exhibited in the triennial.

Jeanette Stok

Inherited Borders (detail) 2017
Galvanised wire, wire mesh
204 x 204 x 10 cm
Photography Michelle Vine

All are linked in some way to a sense of broader engagement with things outside of themselves and their studios. Many celebrate the process of belonging that comes from working with other artists, while others take on wide-ranging issues such as the landscape and the environment and the artist’s place in a world beset by environmental, social and cultural upheaval.

GhostNets Australia

Wobbegong Shark, 2017
Fishing net, fishing line, nylon rope,
plastic, steel wire, bamboo
1450mm x 3600mm
Photography by Steve Gonsalves

Bringing it all together is a kind of openness that comes through exhibiting, talking and creating which can involve both artist and viewer as equal participants. The making process is equally as important as the works themselves, and the conversations while creating and showing create an open house where all ideas and responses are welcome.

Ema Shin

Devoted Body (detail), 2017
Linen, silk, muslin, water-based ink, acrylic ink,
cotton thread, woodblock print, block print,
urauchi (Chine-collé), natural dye, embroidery
1800mm x 2600mm
Photography by Oleksandr Pogorilyi

Exhibition Curator, Glenn Barkley

The 3rd Tamworth Textile Triennial is an opportunity to build on the rich cultural history and reputation that the Tamworth biennials and triennials have established, while pushing forward new conversations and creating a safe place for unsafe discussions. Indigenous, multi-cultural, environmental and minority groups are all represented among the selected artists, providing a sense of broader engagement as the key theme for this exhibition.

There is an ongoing interest in the overlaying of traditional textile techniques with new technologies as a means to create innovative approaches to practice that are relevant to today.