Migrated

Migrations:  Image: Jessica Hemmings

Yesterday was the final showing of the Migrations exhibition at the Australian Design Centre in Sydney.  This exhibition was curated by Professor Jessica Hemmings, author of the book my work was featured in last year, Cultural Threads.

I hope you got to see it as there were a few works in the exhibition that were made by artists not featured in the book, such as the printed textiles of Toril Johannessen from her Unlearning Optical Illusions series inspired by wax resist cloths, and Godfried Donkor, whose video work explores his mother's collection of wax-resist prints and the naming of them. I was fortunate to meet both Toril and Godfried in London last year when I attended  and spoke at the book launch and one day symposium.

Book Launch and Symposium

On Saturday morning I was up bright and early (well ...up early anyway...London is dark and cold at that time of the morning!) to attend the 'Cultural Threads :Transnational textiles today'  symposium and book launch.

Forecourt of CSM, Granary Square, King's Cross

Central St Martin's is just near King's Cross station and it was buzzing with people even though it was an early Saturday morning, where there were several conferences happening.

Jessica Hemmings opening the symposium

There was a good attendance and an impressive panel of speakers including Christine Checinska, Godfried Donkor, Françoisé Dupre, Helen Jennings, Toril Johannessen, Jasleen Kaur, Sarat Maharaj, Sarah Rhodes & of course myself!

Delivering my talk 'Walking with Darwin'

I would like to formally thank the ACT Government and artsACT for their support towards my trip to speak at the symposium, because it was a wonderful opportunity to meet so many academics and practitioners from Europe.

The start of my talk

There were lively panel discussions at the end of each session and all the talks were recorded so that Jessica can make them available in the future.

Panel: Christine Chechinska, Sarat Maharaj and Helen Jennings

There were two speakers who were not represented in the book, Godfried Donkor and Toril Johannessen, who gave wonderful presentations about their work and we all managed to have a wonderful catch-up afterwards over a celebratory drink. 

Myself, Jessica Hemmings and Lycia Trouton catching up over a drink

It was weird speaking at a conference where the only person I knew was Jessica, however after my presentation I was virtually mobbed and made a huge number of contacts and acquaintances which I am following up on this week - in fact my final week has shrunk considerably and now I am pressured to fit everything in! However thanks to the internet we can all remain in touch in the future.

Once again, thanks to artsACT for making this trip and opportunity possible. And of course a big thank you to Jessica Hemmings for not only including me in her book but for organising the launch and symposium with her wonderful team of helpers on the day.