For 80 years Max Townsend spent his down-time knitting baby clothes for friends and family.
When visitors came knocking, Mr Townsend would initially hide his baby bonnets and christening gown projects out of embarrassment, but as time went on, he became more comfortable sharing his lifelong hobby.
His delicate creations have become the focus of his daughter, textile artist Glenys Mann, in an intimate series of photos currently on exhibition at arcYinnar.
Hosting a range of pieces designed to evoke memories and sensory responses from visitors, the ‘Memory Cloth’ exhibition sees colour line stitch and texture come together, in an exploration of the physical impact left by man.
Ms Mann’s photographic series exhibits alongside the works of internationally renowned textile artists the Dutch artist Els van Baarle and Dutch/British artist Cherilyn Martin.
arcYinnar assistant gallery coordinator Dianne Shaw said the international artists, secured through Ms Mann as arcYinnar’s new gallery coordinator and Fibre Arts Australia director, was a coup for the gallery as its first international exhibition in its 30-year history.
“It’s extremely difficult for arcYinnar to attract national and global attention being situated where it is, so out of the way, so for Glenys (Mann) to use her connections and bring these works here is fantastic,” Ms Shaw said.
“The exhibition has already attracted some amazing feedback; it has evoked those memories within the viewers of themselves and their children.”
According to the featured artists’ biographies, Baarle’s composite layering of wax and dyes incorporate texts from historical sources and prints from old letters and envelopes, enabling the viewer to “read” traces of history.
Martin’s pieces take inspiration from cave temples, graveyards and underground mining systems, baring marks left by man and the elements.
The ‘Memory Cloth’ exhibition will be on display at arcYinnar until 3pm on Saturday.
For more information or for opening times visit www.arcyinnar.org.au
