Weavescapes by Julia Engelhardt
We are delighted to announce a new exhibition in partnership with Zuleika Gallery, running until 30th April.
This exhibition presents several different series of woven artworks by Oxford-based artist Julia Engelhardt, which explore the painterly and sculptural qualities of yarns and fibres.
With an expressiveness and somewhat liberal approach, at the core of Engelhardt’s work, she is constantly pushing the boundaries of her medium to achieve what she calls ‘vivid expression’.
“I always wanted to paint. I came to weaving later in life. It is now a passion” Julia Engelhardt
The exhibition is taking place in the Stables Cafe in the West Courtyard.
Engelhardt describes how she was ‘set free’ by discovering Sheila Hicks’ ‘minimes’, and learnt to sketch and paint with yarns. She has been working on 8 and 16 inch shaft looms since 2013, creating poetic pieces - ‘weavescapes’. The yarns and fibres are for Engelhardt lines of paint, each with its own colour as well as textural characteristics.
“I often leave the materials I use hanging off the sides as I think it is interesting for people to see what they are and how each one ‘behaves’ when unconstrained.”
“As an artist I am exploring the painterly and sculptural qualities of yarns and fibres within the relatively constraining context of a shaft loom [...] Above all, I am preoccupied with bringing movement to the rigid angular grid set by the shaft loom, often sacrificing the traditional stability of cloth for maximum expressiveness, giving yarns the space to ‘breathe’.”
The inherent contradiction between the solid form of the weaving loom and organic, unruly yarns and fibres is mediated by Engelhardt’s acute understanding of her medium.
Come and view this fascinating exhibition until 30th April at Blenheim Palace. Visit Zuleika Gallery's website.
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