THE AUSTRALIAN TAPESTRY WORKSHOP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARCHITECTURE MEDIA, THE TAPESTRY FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA and The National gallery of australia INVITES ARCHITECTS, DESIGN COLLABORATIONS AND ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS TO DESIGN A TAPESTRY FOR A HYPOTHETICAL SITE.
Homage to Carl Emmanuel Bach 2003, designed by Jørn Utzon and woven by Cheryl Thornton, Pamela Joyce, Milena Paplinska and Chris Cochius, wool, cotton, 2.67 x 14.02 m. In situ in the Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House. Photo by John Gollings.
PRIZES:
1st Prize of $5,000, 2nd Prize of $2,500, 3rd Prize of $1,500 and People’s Choice Prize of $1,000
Exhibition opening & winners announced 30 August 2016, 6pm at the Australian Tapestry Workshop.
THE WINNING DESIGN WILL BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF:
1. Artistic merit.
2. Ability to engage to a high degree with the unique qualities of tapestry.
3. Ability to design a major artwork that responds to a contemporary architectural space.
4. Capacity to celebrate tapestry in architecture, through understanding of materials form, design and collaborative interpretation.
ELIGIBILITY:
Each entry must be from an architect, multidisciplinary design group (featuring at least one architect) or student in the field of architecture. Entrants must be over the age of 18. Employees and relatives of the Organisers or Judges are ineligible to enter.
Tapestry & Architecture
There is a long standing historical connection between architectural space and tapestry and tapestry related artefacts. Significant wall hangings have been used in a myriad of sizes to modify thermal conditions within buildings, for acoustic treatment of space and as didactic and celebratory items.
They have been made as large scale and monumental fabrics down to small scale intimate items for personal enjoyment. They have been hung singularly and in powerful groupings in great public and private buildings. They have underpinned or demonstrated great wealth and they have been traded and presented as gifts to monarchs and leaders for many hundreds of years. They have been made using traditional designs and imagery, mystical and mythical themes and have been designed and utilised by the pioneering avant garde architects and artists at the beginnings of the modern movement in Europe, and later America.
In the Australian context the ATW has notably collaborated with Aldo Guirgola of MGT and Arthur Boyd to deliver the Boyd monumental tapestry ” Untitled ( Shoalhaven Landscape)” in the New Parliament House in Canberra and with Jorn Utzon to realise his tapestry “Homage to CPE Bach” for the Utzon Room at the Sydney Opera House.
About the Australian Tapestry Workshop
The Australian Tapestry Workshop (ATW) enjoys an international reputation as a leader in contemporary tapestry. Established in 1976, it is the only workshop of its kind in Australia and one of only a handful in the world for the production of hand-woven tapestries. Artists worldwide are discovering how this traditional medium can be used in completely new ways, and the ATW is in the vanguard of this revival.
The Australian Tapestry Workshop uses the traditional handmade Gobelins technique, which dates back to 15th-century Europe. With care, fine tapestries live for centuries, maintaining their sensual richness and warmth, long outlasting many other art forms.
All ATW tapestries are woven in-house by our highly skilled weavers. They are produced in accordance with our uncompromising standards of craftsmanship and are unique, original art works. We use the finest Australian wool, dyed on the premises, which gives limitless interpretive possibilities.
On the commencement of a tapestry commission, ATW weavers collaborate closely with the designer to make all decisions regarding colour, material, density and detail before weaving begins. The final placement of the tapestry plays a key role in these decisions as they will greatly influence the role of light and sound in the space. During this period of decision-making a series of samples will be made. All samples are kept in an archive which weavers often refer back to when beginning a new commission.
Once the technique and material decisions are made the weavers make the interpretive decisions as expert artist weavers.
Designing artist Brook Andrew lifting the veil on Catching Breath 2015, woven by Chris Cochius, Pamela Joyce & Milena Paplinska, wool, cotton, Lurex, 1.9 x 1.54 m.
Examples of key tapestries in situ with strong regard to architectural placement
Ginger Riley Munduwalawala “Wamungu – My Mother’s Country 1996 & John Olsen Rising suns over Australian Felix 1997. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, R G Casey Building, Canberra. Photo: John Gollings.
