100 meters of bunting made from triangles of fabric donated by residents of the Liverpool Road Estate, displayed at the celebration street party to mark 100 years since it was built.
Bunting has long been used for celebrations. There are evocative pictures of the opening party at Liverpool Road, with bunting strung between the buildings and when invited to take part in this project, it seemed only right to create a contemporary version for 2010.
The bunting was made from pieces of fabric collected from current residents. Over 500 triangles were donated, as the community got behind the project.
The patterns, colours and textures of the textiles we are surrounded by, literally make up the fabric of our everyday lives. They are such a part of the way that we live that we stop noticing them, yet when we come across an old familiar fabric (like the pattern from a material you wore as a child) the jolt of recognition can be a very powerful emotion.
In this work, fabrics with different histories sit alongside one another. Because they are all cut into triangles, their original function is obscured. An old apron might sit next to a cushion cover, pyjamas next to a table cloth. All become equal. Fragments of people's lives are jumbled up, yet connected through the formal structure.
We're so used to throwing away stuff, that it's not often we find new purposes for old things these days. I hope people enjoyed spotting the triangles they donated and found it satisfying giving something they no longer use, a second celebratory life.
A project by Tall Tales
Other artists included:
- Christian Nynmpeta
- Davina Drummond
- Alan McGee
- Damian O'Connel
See link to Guardian Society for a picture gallery of the event:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/gallery/2010/oct/13/liverpool-road-estate-centenary-pictures#/?picture=367191268&index=0
