Anita Larkin by the light of the moon

The Breath of Felt by Anita Larkin

The Breath of Felt by Anita Larkin

Breathing new life into the ancient art of felting

Accomplished artist Anita Larkin combines the ancient art of felting with contemporary found objects to create the evocative sculptures featured in ‘The Breath of Felt’ exhibition opening in May at Newcastle’s Timeless Textiles Gallery.

Anita’s work reveals a different purpose for felt beyond its ordinary domestic association.

“Felt is a protective insulation material, for sound and warmth,” she said. “It is used in housing, in musical instruments and as industrial filters and abrasive pads. Felt also connects us all to our ancient nomadic past, like an eternal but momentary breath.”

The works in ‘The Breath of Felt’ exhibition use felt as symbolic narrative in its association with collected objects. The ordinary object is transformed into something curious and loaded in Anita’s art practice. The works are familiar yet delightfully strange, made with meticulous attention to detail, and display a witty sense of humour. They feature ping-pong bats apparently growing breasts, felted guns, hammers and teacups, a cradle made from felted female hips joining a baseball glove, and a felt cloth made with sheep and wallaby fibre. Felt as a breath.

Anita Larkin graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Sydney College of The Arts in 1993 and has since exhibited across Australia and internationally. Represented by Defiance Gallery in Sydney since 2002, she has a sculptural practice engaged in collected objects, casting parts of the human body, and working with the nomadic material, felt.

Anita has had 11 solo shows and had work in numerous group shows including Sculpture by the Sea (2002, 2003), The Wynne Prize AGNSW (2006, 2008), UWS Acquisitive Sculpture Award (2004, 2006, 2010) and The Blake Prize (2013). Her work is represented in private and public collections including Wollongong City Gallery, the National Textile Collection, The Australian War Memorial Art Collection and Westmead Hospital.

 The Breath of Felt exhibition runs from 10 May until 4 June 2017, with the opening at 6-8pm on 11 May 2017.

Date

10 May 2017 - 04 Jun 2017
Expired!

Time

All Day

Cost

Free

Labels

Exhibition