The exhibition I loved most at this year's Festival of Quilts was by Ruth Singer, a renowned fine artist who works in textile and mixed media. Her 'Criminal Quilts' project is based on photographs of female prisoners languishing in a Staffordshire jail, often for the most petty of offences. They had been instructed to hold their hands in front of them for identification purposes.
It's hard to comprehend the brutal dehumanisation suffered by these women, many of whom came from a poor or disadvantaged background. The genius of the project lies in the beautiful way Ruth has succeeded in restoring their dignity and integrity. Their photographs, printed onto textile, are embroidered with delicate hands.
Two pieces are especially stunning. The first comprises a large print of an elderly prisoner wearing a hat. In front hang four translucent squares of fabric onto which a series of hands have been embroidered. These are hung in a slight draught which gently wafts the fabric from side to side, creating something akin to a Tibetan prayer wheel as the hands pass to and fro in a mesmerising swirl.
The second piece hangs on the opposite wall. It's a plain white sheet onto which various female names have been embroidered in what at first sight appears to be a series of random lines. Further examination reveals each name has been sewn at the recorded height of the prisoner in question.
The exhibition will be showing later in the year at Burton on Trent and Wolverhampton University. I thoroughly recommend a visit - it's absolutely stunning.
