Tamworth's proud history as the home of textile arts in Australia is being celebrated this weekend as the 5th Tamworth Textile Triennial opens at Tamworth Regional Gallery.
Residue + Response will feature 25 artworks from artists across Australia which explore the theme of the connection between our histories and futures.
"The 2023 triennial continues Tamworth's reputation as the home of fibre art excellence. We have a real diversity in voices and cultural ideas in our artists and their works which makes for a really wonderful exhibition," said Tamworth Regional Gallery Director Bridget Guthrie.
Curated by Dr Carol McGregor, Residue + Response showcases the best of textile art from across the country, and explores the premise of how the events of our past alter our values. For Dr McGregor, this included some of the artists coming together through an artist exchange program, where expertise, knowledge and experience was shared in preparation for the exhibition.
"It was important to form strong relationships between artists, particularly this year, as we explored the connection between history and futures and the relatedness of all things," explained Dr McGregor.
2023 is important as it marks the 50th anniversary of the National Fibre Art Collection, which was established in Tamworth in 1973 as an annual initiative of the Tamworth Arts and Crafts Society. Local textile advocates such as Sybil Orr, Ruth Blakely and Fran West are credited with trailblazing in the field a time when art practices had to be fitted around household roles dictated by long-entrenched social traditions and gender inequality.
"The creative excellence of these fibre artists was recognised locally, paving the way for the exhibition to evolve into what it is today as a nationally significant, curated exhibition. In this year's triennial it is important that the Tamworth community celebrate the contribution they have made, and continue to make, to textile art," said Dr McGregor.
An official opening will be held at Tamworth Regional Gallery on Saturday 9 September from 6pm, and the triennial will be on exhibition until February 11 2024. After Tamworth, the exhibition will tour nationally for over two years to Adelaide, Broken Hill, Mildura, Wagga Wagga, Manly, Port Macquarie, Grafton and Ipswich.
Residue + Response: 5th Tamworth Textile Triennial has been made possible through funding from the NSW Government, and the Australian Government's Visions of Australia and Regional Arts Fund programs.
