STITCHES: Suzhou Fast Forward

October 26, 2011 - Februray 18, 2012 | Exhibition

Bird: silk embroidery detail
Zhou XueQing Embroidery Art Center, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China

STITCHES: Suzhou Fast Forward, features seven pieces of hand-crafted embroidery from the Zhou XueQing Embroidery Art Center in Suzhou, China. Dexterously stitched in fine silk threads, these exquisite pictures represent an array of subject matter including flowers, birds, and landscapes, continuing Suzhou's 2000-year history of embroidering illusionistic scenes.

Believing that this ancient craft could be the springboard for experimentation, resulting in contemporary expressions of what embroidery might be in the 21st century, WORKShop invited a small group of architects, artists, designers, and inventors to create original works. Inspired by the Suzhou tradition, they employ new technologies, processes, and materials, resulting in objects that range from purely decorative to highly functional.

CURATOR: Prof. Larry Wayne Richards
ADVISOR: Dr. Michael Prokopow

Exhibition Opening Night Photos

Participants and Titles:

	Suzhou Embroidery Seven pieces of traditional Chinese Suzhou silk embroidery, framed Zhou XueQing Embroidery Art Center, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
	Stitches: Interstices Composition consisting of two 3D prints, one holographic projection and three wall-mounted prints Donald Chong, Shane Williamson and Betsy Williamson, Williamson Chong Architects Toronto, ON
	IMBLANKY Taffeta blanket, 7 ft 7 in x 4 ft 2 in with distributed field of 104 soft-tilt sensors RAD Team: Rodolphe el-Khoury, Christos Marcopoulos, and Carol Moukheiber, Toronto, ON
	Circuit Stitching 16-inch diameter hoop with stretched machine embroidery and integrated microcontroller, circuitry, and LED sequins Eric Boyd, Hack Lab Toronto, ON
	Moraine Digital embroidery employing polyester thread on polyester cotton backing, 500 mm wide x 400 mm high Rhett Russo & Katrin Mueller-Russo, Specific Objects Brooklyn, NY
	Cloud Brocade Geotextile, 1700 mm x 400 mm x 3000 mm (l,w,h) Philip Beesley, Philip Beesley Architect Toronto / Waterloo, ON
	Street of Heaven Machine-embroidered banner, 76 in long x 15 in wide Lisa Steele and Kim Tomczak Toronto, ON

Plan your visit to see in person the seven Chinese embroidery pieces plus six full-scale artworks by participating contemporary artists, architects, designers and inventors.

WORKshop is grateful for the support of Kin Yeung and Agnes Yeung, whose interest in Suzhou embroidery (and the Zhou XueQing Embroidery Art Center in particular) led to the formation of the exhibition. Key members of the WORKshop team – Cleo Buster, Yiding Franco Cheng, Andrey Yakovlev – contributed enthusiastically during the research, procurement, and installation phases. The advice on curatorial matters provided by Dr. Michael Propokow is greatly appreciated, as is the assistance provided by Clement Cheng, Andrew Donnachie, Adele Freedman, Myung-Sun Kim, Clint Langevin, Davie Mok, Margaret Priest, Joe Rajaratam, John Wong, and the Hong Kong-based Blanc de Chine staff. Finally, a huge note of thanks to the six participants in the special projects section of STITCHES since their experimental work brings into focus the potential for Suzhou embroidery traditions to be transformed and propelled into the 21st century.