Hanging
2004 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Hanging. Woven cotton, linen, silk, wool & metallic threads.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | woven cotton, linen, silk, wool, metallic threads |
Brief description | Woven cotton, linen, silk, wool & metallic thread hanging |
Physical description | Hanging. Woven cotton, linen, silk, wool & metallic threads. |
Dimensions |
|
Production type | Unique |
Credit line | Given by the Worshipful Company of Weavers |
Object history | The Worshipful Company of Weavers bi-annually commissions a wall hanging or example of textile art for its offices in the City of London. The company invites current students and recent graduates of the School of Textiles at the Royal College of Art to submit their portfolios and proposals and the designs are then considered by representatives of the Company, the RCA and the V&A. Although initially the commissioned piece hangs in the Company's offices, or lent on exhibition, it is then given on to the V&A, building a representative collection of the work of newly graduated students in the field of contemporary textiles. In 2004, Ismini Samanidou was awarded the commission. Ismini Samanidou was born in Athens and studied at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art in London. Her art practice focuses on weaving, drawing and photography and her work is led by an intuitive and experimental approach to materials and techniques. Samanidou is particularly interested in exploring the way in which textiles can extend historical, political and geographical boundaries whilst remaining a common autonomous language of making and means of expression across the world. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art Samanidou has exhibited internationally including solo shows in the UK and US and work included in the Tapestries Exhibition at the Benaki Museum, Greece 2019-2020, the Hangzhou Triennial of Fiber Art, China 2016 and Le Fil de Possibles at L’Espace De L’Art Concret, France 2014. Samanidou has been awarded several prestigious residencies including a British Council residency in Bangladesh and an artist residency at the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in the USA where she personally restored the looms of Anni Albers. A film of her weaving featured in the major Anni Albers retrospective at Tate Modern (UK) and K20 (Germany) 2018-2019 and was included in the Taking a Thread for a Walk exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in new York, 2019-2020. Historical significance: The charter for the Worshipful Company of Weavers was granted by Henry II in 1155 making it the earliest Livery Company in the City of London. It was the first textile guild. Since then the Mercers, Drapers, Merchant Taylors, Haberdashers and Clothworkers have been set up. On long term loan to the V&A from 2008 to 2015 [RF 2001/256]; given to the Museum in 2015 [RF 2015/416]. |
Association | |
Collection | |
Accession number | T.42-2015 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | June 4, 2008 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSON