Art of tapestry has been around for many years and is still in use. The beautiful fabrics, design, stitching and patchwork have been an art style since the millennials. The art form has existed throughout the ages among the masses but somehow, over time some artists of the present have attempted to conserve this stunning art form by mixing and fusion with the modern world.
In terms of the origins of this craft, it started in Europe. The first tapestry was hand-woven into artistic patterns, designs, and stitches. The hand-woven threads, fabric were strong and with exquisite quality. The patterns mostly featured mythological images, the flower patchwork, that required lots of effort, patience and determination. This grueling artform was mainly executed by famous artists during the time of the Renaissance. But, the art of hand-woven fabrics was not appreciated by the general public until a few centuries ago.
Contemporary artists are attempting to bring this lost art back to the forefront and celebrate its beautiful beauty. Tapestries have been exhibited all over the world over time. Around the middle of the 20th century it was introduced to Asia and thus began weaving tapestries throughout Asia and also. The tapestries which originated in Asia are referred to as oriental tapestries, which typically depicted old Chinese symbols such as flowers, mythological creatures, and other things. The art of tapestry has used to this day.
Artists are able to give the ancient art form a contemporary twist. Here are some famous people who have done amazing work in keeping tapestry in the 21st century.
Table of Contents
Gavin Turk Works
He is a young and budding tapestry artist from Britain. He is usually dealing with unusual aspects of identity, authenticity and controversial topics. He was influenced by Italian Tapestry artist Alighiero Boetti. The most well-known work by Gavin Turk, Mappa del Mundo is still the most admired work, which was a global map tapestry that was made of recyclable materials such as cigarette packaging, crisp packs of cigarettes, drink bottles from the streets.
Peter Blake Works
Peter Blake is yet another British pop artist well-known for his modern artwork and aesthetic tapestries. In addition, he was called the godfather of British Pop Culture as he co-designed a sleeve for the Beatles album titled Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band. The artist was initially not interested in tapestry at first, but slowly grew fond of the art of tapestry and came up with some beautiful designs. The design is quite straightforward and heavily influenced by American advertising and loud music.
Grayson Perry’s Work
Grayson is an Englishman known for his ceramic work. Grayson later discovered a talent for tapestry, and eventually became skilled at it. The tapestries he made show the differences between classes and also the wider society. The most well-known work of his tapestry is still The Vanity of Small Differences. At times, the imagery on the tapestry may be disturbing due to the raw representation of the artist’s brain. He also has created several large-scale tapestries, and has even been awarded the Turner Prize.
Kara Walker’s Work
Kara Walker is an absolute treasure in the world of African artwork, painting, and pop culture. She is a famous painter filmmaker, filmmaker, print maker also a master tapestry weaver. Her work tends to be focused on the racial gap between whites and blacks as well as slavery, political oppression and racism. Naturally, her work is created around these themes as well as tapestries and paintings. She is well-known for her utilization of Black and White aesthetics of her art , which convey the dark message to the general public. The most well-known tapestry she has created is also a raw, authentic and vivid depiction of the black community in Africa and around the globe.
There are many other talented tapestry makers around the globe who are trying to create art using the traditional technique of weaving cloth. Some notable artists include Beatriz Milhazes, Erin Riley, Joanne Soroka etc. The fabric serves as an art canvas for the artists of today to express what they are seeing or feel about certain issues. The paintings often obscure this art form that few people acknowledge and are able to appreciate. The art of tapestry is able to be woven in every direction and allow the artist to express an abstract view of it. The art of weaving threads at such a massive scale demands dedication and persistence of the designer. The standard tapestries that have intricate designs and intricate complexities are truly an amazing treasure in the tapestry industry.
