British Textiel Biennial Talks With Amber Butchart- Blackburn - 6pm- 8pm - 30/10/19

British Textiel Biennial Talks With Amber Butchart- Blackburn - 6pm- 8pm - 30/10/19

Oct, 25 2019


~You could enter your local clothes shop and take every item for granted. But look beneath the exterior. Behind every pair of denim jeans is an industrial thinker. Beyond the bland polo neck shirt is a  creative individual. Past the ordinary bracelets is a political hell raiser. Outside of the conventional norms is an Indian free thinker. In contrast to the grey blouse is an artistic person.

On Wednesday 30th October 2019 comes a ‘British Textile Biennial Talk - Sew What? With Amber Butchart. It is scheduled to take place at the Victorian Gallery, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery on Museum Street between the hours of 6pm - 8pm.

The following people will take part in an engaging conversation:-

  • Amber Butchart
  • Aziz Ibrahim
  • Craig Oldham
  • Emma Shankland
  • Jamie Holman
  • Raisa Kabir

This panel discussion led by fashion historian, author and broadcaster, Amber Butchart explores how through time, fashion and textiles is frequently appropriated as a platform to highlight protest, politics, cultural movements of change and a powerful self-expression of ideas.

From utility workwear on the French boulevards to the re-emergence of the hoodie as the ‘ultimate symbol of exclusion and menace’ - individually and collectively we articulate our voices through stitched messagery or the decisions we make about what we wear.

Here is a brief summary of the respected individuals taking part:-

Amber Butchart specialises in the historical intersections between dress, politics and culture. She recently presented A Stitch in Time, a six-part series on BBC Four that fused biography, art and the history of fashion to explore the lives of historical figures through the clothes they wore.

Aziz Ibrahim was born in Longsight, Manchester of Pakistani parents. He is a musician and artist. His recent work was derived from the anniversary of the Peterloo massacre of 1819, this involved a musical performance.

Craig Oldham is a designer who created work around political themes including working class miners and the Thatcher years. He has also explored designs around FIFA and the under shirt celebration.

Emma Shankland creates work around hand embroidery. She has discovered her work is limitless and has allowed herself a degree of expression in her work.

Jamie Holman is a non-executive director of The National Festival of Making, a director of PRISM Contemporary Gallery & Studios, and is currently artist in residence for The British Textiles Biennial. His recent work has found him creating themes around the working class youth of the north.

Raisa Kabir is an interdisciplinary artist and weaver, who utilises woven text/textiles, sound, video and performance to materialise concepts concerning the politics of cloth, labour and embodied geographies. Her research into non mechanical looms, bodies and machines, has taken her to Mexico and Bangladesh.

Please note - the event is free to attend but you will have to register via Eventbrite
( https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sew-what-fashion-textiles-as-an-expression-of-contemporary-activism-tickets-)

The event includes a performance by Aziz Ibrahim of music created for his commission for the Peterloo Festival.

For more information and full programme of exhibits, events, performances, installations, talks and workshops visit the dedicated website:britishtextilebiennial.co.uk

Fashion historian and broadcaster, Amber Butchart, leads a panel exploring the portrayal of ideas and activism in fashion and textiles and its relationship with culture:-

  • BRITISH TEXTILE BIENNIAL TALKS 2019: Sew What? with Amber Butchart
  • Wednesday 30th October 2019 6pm - 8pm
  • Victorian Gallery, Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery, Museum Street

^Alex Ashworth