lancashire

I have been with family in Lancashire for most of this week.  Manchester was as vibrant as ever.  It is the tail end of Selfridges 'the Beauty project' which debated, questioned and challenged the meaning of beauty.  Sadly my stay did not coincide with any of the talks.  Good to see this type of debate.

Lots of text in the community.

Whilst there I researched neck ties and scarves in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.  The neckties which were aimed at younger men were generally narrower - maybe 7cm across the blade - and the more traditionally designed ties were between 8 and 9 cm across the blade.  I also looked at women's scarves which were many and varied. 

What a week for women of the world.  Hot on the heels of the horror of 276 schoolgirls being kidnapped in Nigeria, a Pakistani women was stoned to death by her own family because she shamed them by wanting to choose her own husband.  A heavily pregnant Sudanese woman was imprisoned along with her 20 mnth old son because she didn't want to renounce her Christian religion - she gave birth prematurely whilst in shackles.  In the north of India, two young girls were gang raped, then hanged in trees.  International pressure is highlighting the injustices, too late for three women but the imprisoned women is no longer in shackles and is likely to be released. 

In the light of these events I have spent time designing my own craftivist event.  It throws up lots of decisions - how I can inspire thoughts about the meaning of feminism, the issues, the materials - and where the final pieces could be displayed.

As time goes by I realise that my future is likely to revolve around the therapeutic and political use of textiles rather than the commercial design and use of textiles.  This Craftivist event would form part of my MA - LO1 evaluation of current issues, practices and initiatives LO5 articulate the content and ambitions of my work.