Shelley Morrow
Brighton
Primary interest in textiles and hand embroidery
My artwork examines social, political and cultural issues and explores the position that these occupy within contemporary fine art.
Engaging with subjects such as poverty, homelessness, feminism and the plight of garment workers, my work often uses media suggested by the subject matter itself.
Embroidery and textiles are frequently referenced in my work because of their historical and contemporary connection to politics and also because these media can challenge notions of domesticity and decorativeness in relation to Fine Art.
In 2017, I constructed a patchwork blanket consisting of 1,138 used clothes labels that represented the number of garment workers who died in the Rana Plaza Complex, Bangladesh 2013. The piece was titled #whomademyclothes which came from the hashtag used in connection with the organisation Fashion Revolution who campaign for greater transparency in the garment industry. It has been exhibited in various places and was selected for the Columbia Threadneedle Prize exhibition 2018.
More recently, Division III consisting of worn sewing machine bobbins with gold leaf and real gold thread is based on social division and income inequality and was selected for the MA and other Postgraduates exhibition at the Atkinson Gallery 2018.
I am drawn towards traditional Japanese Aesthetics, the appreciation of the imperfect and impermanence. I am currently practising Sashiko, a form of embroidery, inspired by items of Japanese Boro I have seen and researched. Repairing and mending is the basis of my developing work.
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