In myths and fairytales weaving and spinning are often performed by women. The Greek Metis, and the Morai, the Roman Texere and the Hindu Maya are amongst many female personifications connected to weaving the cloth of the world, along with the archetypal old crone, who is often depicted as being bent over her spinning wheel deep in the forest, meting out fates.

But the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin exemplifies the sometimes complex relationship between weaving and feminism, for it is not the girl in the tower but an impish little man who spins the straw into gold. And in fact, in many cottage industries, it is not traditionally women but men who weave cloth. In both rural and urban centres, weaving was often the domain of men. And now, new digital printing and weaving techniques mean that most weaving is done by machine. Whose domain is it now? Has AI taken the place of the crone?

Contemporary textiles are the ground of exciting visual art that bridges the gaps between craft and fine art, digital and human-made, theory and practice, including 2D and 3D work. This lecture will look at the background and history of textiles from a mythic, as well as from a practical, point of view before moving on to examine some of the exciting visual art being made now across the globe from Australia, to the Far East and Europe. Be prepared to dive into the past, as well as to learn about artists practising now, you're in for a feminist tour through the rich history of textiles.

We are committed to making our sessions as accessible as possible. If you are unable to pay the full amount for this class, please reach out to us via email at [email protected] and we will provide you with a discount code.