jane kidd

Hand Work Series: to the bone, in the blood, from the heart

In Handwork Series: to the bone, in the blood, from the heart I use images derived from anatomical and gestural drawing of the human hand and forearm juxtaposed with images that reference traditional or historic textiles. These images are presented as fragments enclosed in an architectural frame that suggests the presentation of samples or specimens.  My intent is to evoke a reference to a relic or memento. The tapestries in this series are small in scale (each 20" x 26") they require intimate viewing that breaks down spatial illusion and figuration to focus on detail and surface as evidence of process and the labour of the human hand.

In this series I initiate an inquiry into the social and cultural perceptions of time intensive handiwork and manual skill. Time, labour and the skill of the human hand have always been a subtext underlying the more personal narrative statements in my earlier tapestries. It is my intention to make a sense of time investment and human labour implicit in the object itself and to evoke reference to the relationship between material culture and the human body.

There are ten tapestries in the Handwork Series, each tapestry measures 50cm W x 67cm H  (20" x 26").  The series can be configured and installed in a variety of ways, depending on the gallery space.