The degree show is getting nearer and as of yet my work remains in a plastic wallet underneath my wardrobe! The big question - what to do with it?
As the Bristol 2 litre engine is embroidered there are several important issues I have to consider. First, it is a textile and will be subject to dust, grease from finger prints (if touched), ultraviolet light and moisture. Cleaning once dirty will be difficult and fading caused by UV rays will be impossible to restore.
Here are some images of work I have seen in exhibitions and online websites -
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| Anna Glasbrook, simple perspex frames, no space between layers |
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| From Drawn 2013, work set back on mount board in wooden frame |
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| Photographed at Cirencester New Brewery Arts Centre. textiles presented in a metal frame |
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| From a London art gallery, 3d textile image in a perspex frame. |
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| Amanda McCavour, machine embroidered drawings suspended on monofilament. |
I have emailed Amanda McCavour again to ask if she used anything to stiffen her work before hanging it as mine is fairly soft and flexible. Very kindly, Amanda replied and stated that she did use starch to stiffen the work. Her work is hung and left open, the large drawings show their weak structure as the threads can be seen without anything obscuring the work. Also there is the play of life size object verses drawing which is strengthen through the absence of a frame.
I have visited several framing shops to try and decide how best to move forward. But now I have two requirements, one the degree show and then an entry into the Jerwood Drawing Prize. The Framing Workshop on Walcot Street were very helpful and encouraging about the drawing and suggested a perspex frame. This would be my first choice because the work will be unaffected by the frame - there would be a lot of space around the drawing as well as keeping it free from dirt and moisture. But it will be very expensive and not easily transportable for the Jerwood Drawing Prize because it would be hard to protect from scratches as the work needs to be easily viewed by the panel and not fully wrapped.
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| The Framing Workshop, Walcot Street. |
The second option is a wooden, white box frame with a piece of perspex in middle on which I can invisibly attach the drawing. The frame will be large and the drawing will appear to float. Museum glass will go on the front to protect the work from UV rays and reduce glare from light. I did consider metal but that is too similar to the metal engine and deflects from the feminine angle.
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| Meltone Gallery, Bath |
So, I will order the frame for Jerwood and Art in Action, but for the for the degree show I have decided to make a plinth out of MDF. The structure will be slightly larger than the dimensions of the real engine with the top left open and the work presented on a slope / angle. I do not want to add starch to my degree piece as I haven't got enough time to experiment so I will add a piece of perspex to the top of the plinth with a space between it and the MDF giving the appearance of a floating, suspended drawing enabling light to show through the layers and enhance the stitches - I need these to be obvious - I need to demonstrate an argument between male and female gender by questioning the idea of feminine stitch with a man made metal machine as a way of reflecting on the capabilities of women and the quiet, yet subversive nature of my work. Work that shows how hard I will strive to be perfect after the loss of my husband, but what matters is the way I learn from how I solved the issues that arose during this endeavour and how I use this knowledge for my next project in art and in life.
