Broadway Gallery brings together 15 internationally acclaimed artists in its latest exhibition titled Parade, a Celebration of Contemporary Arts Textiles, which opens on Saturday 13 December.
Showcasing the ways in which threads and fabrics are being used by artists working today, Parade features recent sculpture, installation, tapestry, and textiles by: Caroline Achaintre, David Mabb, Yelena Popova, Lilah Fowler, Marianne Thoermer, Boon and Baum, Katie Schwab, Bea Bonafini, Chris Alton, Fiona Curran, Anna Perach, Will Cruickshank, Mark Corfield-Moore, Gal Leshem, and Cecilia Charlton.
Broadway Gallery Curator, Kristian Day, says: “The initial idea for Parade came after discovering the Foursquare Our City banner at the Garden City Collection, designed by Edmund Hunter to mark the founding of Letchworth in 1903. Viewing this celebratory work, which would have been used in parades around the town, kick-started an idea of putting together a show that recognises and celebrates the artistic integrity, power and the vital nature of textiles as a medium in contemporary art.
“This exhibition is the start of an exciting new phase in the Gallery’s development at a time when Letchworth’s art scene is growing. Our aim is to increase the quantity and breadth of exhibitions, creating new opportunities for local and international artists alike. We will also be bringing visual arts out of the gallery and into the streets of Letchworth, starting in December with an installation by artist duo Boon and Baum in the Arcade, whilst artist David Mabb will be taking over the former Tourist Information Centre.”
Alongside Parade, Broadway Gallery will also be launching a supporting programme of exhibitions and workshops. Anna Reading, recent recipient of the Mark Tanner sculpture prize, will introduce new work on the Broadway Plinth. The Foyer Gallery will host sculptural work, drawing and a site-specific installation from Letchworth based artists Katherine Roberts and Sian Wilson. In the studio Fay Zmija Nicolson presents costumes and a newly edited film documenting Spa Songs, a musical performance composed and choreographed by the artist that took place in the underground tunnel shaft of the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe in 2018.
As part of Parade, the Gallery will also deliver practical workshops for children and adults, led by artists Chris Alton and Gal Leshem.
Parade will run until Sunday 16 February 2020. Entrance is free.
Details about the exhibition and workshops can be found at broadway-letchworth.com
