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"I find (textiles) to be a powerful medium for self-expression and communication because of the cultural preconceptions surrounding this area. There is the constant question of art or craft? When working in an area between two disciplines people are often disturbed by the difficulty of categorising the work. The inescapable connotations of "women's work" and feminist art are both constricting and liberating. These are all issues that I feel strongly about and am investigating as part of my work. Most recently I have produced a series of distorted body pieces. These seemingly ordinary machine knitted wool jumpers are mutants. A sleeve instead of a neck, a spare torso projecting from the stomach, four shoulders with four sleeves and sealed cuffs for missing hands. These jumpers mix the freak show and genetic engineering, resulting in something both deeply disturbing and humorous." Photo: Ed Barber |