Say their name say their name . . . Sew Their Names!

This incredible moving documentation/ art work has been instigated by Mary Evers. After a visit to Tate Modern to see an exhibition by Bangladeshi artist Yasmin Jahan Nupur. (see below) 

Yasmin Jahan Nupur's embroidered world map of British colonial territories stirred something within Mary. “It struck me how powerful such a simple act was – using thread to document history and provoke thought,” Mary Evers 

The idea for the "The Gaza Martyrs Project" materialised and Mary set about putting it in motion. 

Mary spent months carefully planning. She sourced Egyptian cotton for its durability and nostalgic ties to her childhood “It also symbolises a shroud – honouring the lives lost,” she explains. 

To reflect the Palestinian flag, Mary chose specific colour codes for the embroidery. Black threads represent Gaza men, red for women and green for children. The creamy white Egyptian cotton represents the white of the flag. Each panel, even without reading the names, visually conveys the demographic impact of the deaths. Some panels, overwhelmingly green, are a haunting reminder of the countless Gaza children killed. It has become a collective endeavour shared between communities with people hearing of it and joining the effort. While Mary plans to limit the project to 30,000 names, the rising death toll may lead to it continuing indefinitely. (source)

"I’ve been sitting with these thoughts today as I prepare the list of names and wonder about each person, who they were, what was their favourite colour, were they in love, did they dance at parties, normal every day things." Mary Evers

Eddy Ekete and Ndaku ya la vie est Belle

"Art that turns waste into gold of time. 

It is known that Europe sends massive amounts of its worn-out waste to Africa, adding to its life but also massively polluting the African continent. The art of the art collective Ndaku ya la vie est Belle and the visual artist/performer and cultural worker Eddy Ekete transforms waste into works of art through an almost alchemical process. This kind of art mobilizes the entire social community and confronts the local community with its own responsibility, turning us into active transformers instead of passive observers of the ubiquitous rubbish that surrounds us planetary. At Bierbais, Eddy in collaboration with Youth Biennial/(collective for Contemporary Art from Belgrade) worked on a prototype of Can Man, performing street costume made entirely from recycled materials. Photos: Stephan Gladieu"

 

Janis Ledwell-Hunt

Janis Ledwell-Hunt is a Canadian textile artist who uses macrame techniques to create increasingly incredible sculptural forms.

Magic

Selvage magazine has produced an article about this magical miniature wedding-chest from the British Museum's collections. It is of Armenian origins believed to have been crafted by an Armenian seamstress to showcase designs to wealthy urban brides. It consists of trousseau; dress; underskirt; pouch; scarf; sash; model; apron; skirt; jacket; sample; head-band; hat; shawl; cloth; wedding-veil; head-cover. 

Remy Rossier

Wonderful cocoon garments Created by Remy Rossier.

 

Ayako Miyawaki

 

Oh the beauty! of applique works by Ayako Miyawaki (1905-1999), are just a joy to see, they make my heart sing.  

A retrospective exhibition of Miyako (1905-1995), "120th year of birth: Miyako's art: I saw it, cut it, pasted it," is on at Tokyo Station Gallery (Marunouchi, Tokyo) until March 16th.

Owen Kelly

This is my "Memory Skirt." It started as a practice piece for this little 5 year old boy. My mum told me I was not to use a needle on the furniture or her best curtains anymore! 🙄

So I got given an old grey school skirt that one of the neighbours was throwing out. I was told to use that for practice.

A few years later I left home I got friends to sign my skirt and draw a couple of doodles that I stitched. Over the years I added a few events like music festivals, trips abroad and when I went to Shanghai for the World Special Olympics in 2007 they all got stitched reminders.

All 4 of my children's names are stitched into the fabric, an old Irish 2p coin is on there too, to mark the change to the Euro.

There are so many memories in amongst those threads.

Way back at the start my grandmother gave me some advice that has stuck with me ever since and I know it has influenced my life.

"Make memories Owen, when you reach my age, they are the most precious things you can have."

Over 50 years later I had just the waist band left to do and then it was done. Maybe I will squeeze another memory in there one day 😉. For now it hangs in my studio and I am reminded everyday of so many wonderful people, times and places.

Now, I am never in a hurry to finish a piece and know it is the time spent and process undergone that is important to me, not the finishing line.

I think my kids know most of the main stories attached to this skirt, but I do intend to write a few of them down for when I eventually become just another one of those memories too.

I find it difficult to capture it all in a photograph but I asked a friend to model it for me and I will also add a couple of close ups.

The quality of stitchin varies! Please remember this started out as a practice piece and a safe space for a young boy to make as many mistakes as it took to learn to stitch. We all have to start somewhere and I started here. Owen Kelly