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We Made It! Haringey’s Stitchers, Artists, Textile & Fashion Designers at Bruce Castle Museum

07-06-2019   


On now until the 14th July 2019 ‘We Made It!’– a celebration of past and present-day BAME creativity and innovation – all from Haringey.

Exploring the collections from Bruce Castle Museum and Haringey Archive, this exhibition celebrates the more recent artistic excellence of portraitist Kelvin Okafor and the creative storytelling of visual artist Agenda Brown of Visual Marvelry, alongside the early work of internationally significant photographers David A. Bailey, Dave Lewis, Ingrid Pollard and Suzanne Roden.

Marquel Williams moodboard at the Museum

Former Fashion Enter apprentice and emerging fashion designer Marquel Williams from Tottenham displays his new creations, reflecting on the Windrush Generation and influenced by renowned textile designer Althea McNish, with made examples using her beautiful fabric.

‘Sewn Together’

And for the first time the award-winning ‘Sewn Together’ African and Caribbean commemorative quilts organised by Sonja Camara of 4U2Mag involving various members of the Haringey community, including Paula Balfe founder of Pin Kushion, is on show.

Paula working on the ‘Sewn Together’ project

Paula started out as a self-taught sewer and has always had a love for cross-stitching, making clothes, homewares and accessories. She is currently a student at the FTA’s Stitching Academy Level 2 course. Her work with community has been recently been rewarded with the first ever Culture Seeds Award from the Mayor of London. Whilst involved with the ‘Sewn Together’ project she set up workshops at her local community centre with Morgan Rose. The sewing group workshops and Adinkra cross-stitch classes have become a big part of the Afro-Caribbean cultural community, giving back and socially empowering women.

Paula’s work

Other artists featured in the collection include: Gary March, Melonie Stennett, Bernette Hall, Antony Paul Maina, Adjoa Wiredu, Tony Wolliston and Tania Pascoal, amongst many others.

We Made It! is on at the Compton Gallery, Bruce Castle Museum, Lordship Lane, Tottenham, N17 8NU until 14th July 2019.




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