Craftwork /
Woolworks
An exhibition of contemporary textile works designed and hand made by Craftwork at Exposure Gallery.
Wool Works is comprised of two large-scale hanging textile works crafted from natural wool and aluminum. Through making these works, Craftwork has focused on building bridges between the disciplines of art, craft, design and fashion.
Using aluminum and natural wool top slivers, each screen is a collection of long hanks of wool, hand-made and twisted into rope. These rope strands are bound together by combining knotting and are also held in place with powder coated / mirrored aluminum tubes. Craftwork signature Pompoms punctuate and locate the macramé knots woven throughout. In these beautiful works, there is a strong visual interplay between graphics, materials and textures whilst fusing large-scale textile design with jewelry.
Craftwork was founded in 2007 by fashion designer, Caroline Smithson, and architectural designer, Mehrnoosh Khadivi. The pair met in 2004 but it wasn’t until late 2007 that the weekly you-teach-me-crochet-I’ll-teach-you-knitting craft evenings were born.
Here, they could practice a type of work where useful and decorative items are made by hand using only simple tools. Whilst exploring the possibilities of re-applying these traditional craft techniques, it became apparent that this home handicrafts and back-to-basics ethos could be applied to items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including architecture, interiors and reclamation. The use of hands and lack of machines impart an individuality to each item they make which is lacking in manufactured goods.
Thus, Craftwork began in earnest, pompom-ing and patchworking its way through London. The duo draw on their professional training, interests in practicing established techniques and their upbringings in Berwick Upon Tweed, a town known for its witches and Iran’s mystical Persian culture for their inspiration.
To date they have produced handmade macramé shoes, a leather upholstered macramé stools, wall hangings, pompom swings & soft toys.