Wilcom Associate Award for Textile Art Runner Up

A palimpsest of stories lay, in hidden layers and muted sight,
Through the gauze of memories, traces faint, yet fiercely bright.
Decay and life in tangled knots, a nihilist’s delicate design,
In every stitch, a tale of fraught, or ripped apart and redefined.
Cut away what once was whole, rip the veil of what has been.
Through layers deep, we glimpse the core.
From damage, something new is born, each thread a voice, each cut a door.

The embroidery work delves into the intricate interplay of life, decay and rebirth, exploring themes of palimpsest, traces and layers. Each piece is a tapestry of transformation, where the visible and the concealed merge to tell a complex story.

The first layer is a fusion of hand and machine embroidery, depicting a microscopic world of cells, viruses and bacteria. These fundamental elements represent both the genesis of life and the agents of decay, highlighting the intrinsic connection between creation and destruction.

Overlaying this is the second, semi-transparent layer. It captures the emergence of life from death through motifs of mould and organic growth. This layer symbolises the delicate process where decay fosters new beginnings, embodying the idea that life continually arises from its own end.

The third narrative layer invites rips and cuts. This layer confronts and challenges the viewer embodying the theme of nihilism and the fragility of existence. The deliberate want of damage reveals the underlying layers, urging us to see through the surface and understand the intricate interplay of life’s transitions.
Together, these layers create a palimpsest, a tapestry of overlapping narratives that invite viewers to reflect on the perpetual cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Each stitch serves as a testament to the beauty found in decay and the resilience of life.