Milsom Place
Milsom Street
8-11 November
Open 10am-6pm
There is no doubt that making is making a comeback; from DIY projects, to current exhibitions and installations (Lost in Lace, Gas Hall Birmingham; The Power of Making, V&A) as well as television documentaries (Made in Britain, BBC) and a ‘shabby chic’ aesthetic, craft skills are of
the moment.
Fuelled by a growing public interest in environmentalism and sustainability, making-do in recession hit Britain,
and a desire to use one’s hands creatively in a computer dominated world, making skills and making stuff are indicative of creative practice in everyday life.
Reinventing the Wheel highlights the significance of making or utilising craft skills in the contemporary world as well as emphasising a consumer desire to own objects with ‘provenence’. Craft skills offer huge personal benefits;
they facilitate dexterity, creativity and sensory engagement, but too often ‘craft’ is understood as a nostalgic yearning for simpler times and therefore is seen as derivative and old-fashioned. Here, Bath School of Art and Design Textiles students were asked to learn old techniques that were new to them and develop a product suitable for a 21st century consumer.
This exhibition explores the potential for traditional handcrafts in a digital age, emphasising that craft is the stuff of life.
Opening Event
Tuesday 8 November
6.30pm
