Textiles connect history and future in Broken Hill

Published on 27 May 2024

The 5th Tamworth Textile Triennial, Residue + Response, will call the Broken Hill City Art Gallery home from Wednesday, 29th May for eight weeks.

This renowned national exhibition features 25 artworks from artists across Australia which explore the theme of the connection between our histories and futures. The exhibition opening will be held on the 29th May at 2:30 pm and will include afternoon tea.

“We are excited to host such a significant exhibition that not only showcases extraordinary textile art but also delves into the profound connections between our past and future,” said Gallery Manager Kathryn Graham.

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 programme, where expertise, knowledge, and experience were 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.

The National Fibre Art Collection 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 at the 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,” said Dr. McGregor.

The exhibition started its tour in Tamworth, opening at the Tamworth Regional Gallery in early September. Alongside Broken Hill, the exhibition will also be on display in Adelaide, Mildura, Wagga Wagga, Manly, Port Macquarie, Grafton, and Ipswich over the next two years.

“We have a real diversity in voices and cultural ideas in our artists and their works, which makes for a really wonderful exhibition. We are thrilled to be able to share this exhibition with galleries across NSW, Victoria, and Queensland,” said Tamworth Regional Gallery Director Bridget Guthrie.

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 programmes.

The exhibition opening will be held on the 29th May at 2:30 pm at the Broken Hill City Art Gallery, 404-408 Argent Street, and will include afternoon tea.