Dr Karen Nickell talked about her doctoral research ‘Embroidery in the Expanded Field: Textile Narratives in Irish Art Post-1968’ – with a response from Professor Catherine Harper, at the Stuart Hall Library Clothes, Cloth & Culture Group meeting on 26 March 2015. If you missed the event, audio recordings of the talks are available to stream: see below.
Karen described how textiles are embedded in Irish social, cultural and political life. Her research examines textile practices by individual artists and communities in response to the conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. Read more about the research and presenters.
The evening started on an informal note; following the group’s custom, the presenters showed the audience textile artefacts as ‘conversationals’. Karen and Catherine brought with them carefully chosen textile pieces invested with both personal meaning and with cultural significance.
Hand-knitted dishcloth: conversational brought by Catherine Harper
Irish crochet: conversational brought by Karen Nickell