For my graduate show I created a textile installation in Sherkin Abbey, a Franciscan Friary situated on Sherkin Island in West Cork. My installation"Interwoven" began with an enquiry into the concept of weaving and weaving as a metaphor for the interconnections in our lives, and the interconnected web of life that binds people, places, and time. On Sherkin Island there is a history of traditional woven crafts, willow lobster pots, fishing nets and Súgán ropes. This exploration inspired my current work, which focuses on using traditional weaving techniques to create textile pieces on hand crafted wooden frame looms. My work has evolved into a contemporary installation, created by weaving fabric into the metal bars in the windows of Sherkin Abbey, allowing me to weave into the building’s rich history. My work explores the concept of weaving as a spiritual practice, which speaks to the Abbey as a sacred place where the spiritual connects with the physical world. Ephemeral textiles seek to embody the sacred feminine energy within a historically masculine sacred space. My work also seeks to connect with the architecture of the Abbey. 20th Century Bauhaus artist Anni Albers quoted “Weaving is closest to architecture because it is a building up out of a single element, building a whole out of single elements.” Therefore, my weaving practice reflects the architecture of the building. The juxtaposition between the hardness of the stonework and metal bars, in comparison with the soft, ephemeral textiles, mirrors the contrast between fragility and strength found within ourselves and in nature.
