Textile Fine Art: Conversations with Artists Creating by Hand
Helen Adams
Laurence King Publishing
My own thoughts and notes
A fellow artist, Helen Adams has long since been sitting well and truly on the edge of the arts. Her website, her name Textile Curator, so simple and obvious, and so memorable - one you imagine has been taken long ago - yet no, Helen Adams it is. (I will admit, before I knew her as a friend, I used to refer to her as her title)
Helen is well travelled, having lived abroad and now back in the UK, she has gathered, gleaned, considered examples of Textile Fine Art which represent this this category to its best.
I myself, have got rather sick over the years of the divide, between what is considered ‘Fine Art’ which often gets separated from ‘Textiles’. Textiles has been observed by many a gallery as unsuitable to present - maybe its the sometimes lack of a gild gold frame and flat work content which scares them - yes - there is a thought, maybe galleries have been scared by Textiles in the past - its just too unique and varied for their heads to grasp. Now that’s me being a little naughty, but getting back to the book literally in hand; Helen Adams has taken a no nonsense approach, Textile Fine Art is called that because yes, it is. The examples visually transcribed give the evidence required.
The book is a piece of art in itself - this will stand in University Libraries along with the best Art Galleries. What Helen has always been good at is the use of the ‘eye’. Having experience in a multitude of art design areas, including interiors, she would never allow a badly taken image in, never mind a bad example to reflect this wonderful art form. So the book itself is yes, curated by a curator, not just an artist writing about their own art or others practice. This gives the book finesse that could be lacking in other Textile titles.
Fifty artists have been interviewed and each have been given individually planned questions, directed by Helen herself having considered the particular artist and their way of working. This gives the reading of this book a varied edge, rather than the same questions being given and different answers given.
The book’s content is educational, its cultural, it brings in a historical narrative, which really supports this book being one to be proud to own.
I see Helen, travelling around, not to small craft groups, I see her lecturing to big audiences, those who are not simple Textile art based. Let’s go big Helen, University lecture halls, theatres, the big London art galleries…..
I asked Helen for some words from her own voice:
‘In my mission to “wake up the world to contemporary textile art,” I set out to write a book that highlights the remarkable diversity and creativity found within fine art textiles. Most existing books on the subject tend to feature commentary about the art, rather than giving voice to the artists themselves. To address this, I interviewed fifty artists from around the globe, presenting their stories in a Q&A format so readers can hear directly from each artist.
Every interview is tailored to the individual artist, exploring their unique journey into the art world, their reasons for working with textiles, the concepts and techniques they employ, and other topics relevant to their personal practice.’
Bullet point thoughts
Helen here echo’s my previous thoughts and really brings to the fore what I love about this book -
It is set to really challenge and change - it’s got an unforgettable edge. It is a Trojan Horse without any disguise - this book says hey, I am good enough to sit anywhere.
The book is well designed, curated and illustrated - I cannot see how it can gain critique.
Who is it for? Those who are serious about art - its beauty - what it can be, become. That is what Textile Fine Art is all about - it’s pushing the edges, it is a chameleon, curated and controlled by the artists hand it can become ANYTHING. Isn’t this exciting to even think about? This is all of course, brought together by Helen Adams.
My final notes
This is worth reading whatever or however you define for arts category or genre of choice and really in the end - is one better than another ? Personally, I do not think so. This book has become, in my eyes, Helen’s own art gallery, beautifully curated, it lives as if she can step through it with our feet and bodies - in a way we can - in our minds eye - imagine this book as an art gallery, as you turn the pages, walk through it….it deserves you to stop and observe and of course read - all the mind activity and the physical you would imagine carrying out on a real time Art Gallery visit.