The exhibition Cloth & Culture NOW is a major initiative, bringing together 35 artists from Estonia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania and the UK. Textile has played an important role in the cultural identity of these countries and each of the artists is using that textile history to investigate the importance of specific cultural identity and trans-cultural influences in their work.

Most of the selected artists made new work for the exhibition, reflecting the social, political and utilitarian history of textile within the context of shifting experiences of culture and tradition. These works include the contemporary use of traditional techniques and materials: knit, tapestry, embroidery, felt making, plus explorations of new materials and technology, large architectural installations, performance work, video, narrative based textiles, decorative textiles.

The exhibition Cloth & Culture NOW was shown at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, University of East Anglia, from January 29th to June 1st 2008 and attracted record-breaking audiences – 6,000 in the first 3 weeks.

The exhibition was shown at the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester from September 17th until December 14th 2008. From January 23rd – February 19th 2009 The Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in London exhibited the Lithuanian work from Cloth & Culture Now.

Visit the Cloth & Culture NOW site