seam collective was selected to exhibit at The Andrew Brownsword Gallery at the University of Bath as part of a new experimental, open submission arts programme in partnership with The Holburne Museum, The Holburne Open. The collective was in residence for almost a month from 25 March-23 April 2022 and they they used the gallery as a test space to explore ideas for their proposed touring exhibition A Visible THREAD.

Through this research residency the artists’ aim was to challenge one another and their audiences to experiment, rethink their relationships to thread, investigate its materiality, possibilities and limitations, take part and play. The gallery was transformed into a lively, welcoming, dynamic and thought-provoking incubator, which changed over time.

The seam artists who took part in this residency, covered a diverse range of textile disciplines, they were: Desiree Jeans, Gill Hewitt, Helen MacRitchie, Jane Colquhoun, Joy Merron, Julie Heaton, Lou Baker, Lydia Needle, Nina Gronw-Lewis, Oly Bliss and Penny Wheeler.

They shared the space with artist Jack Lewdjaw.

During the residency, Lou Baker and Oly Bliss also successfully trialled their first participatory project together, permission to play, as Baker and Bliss.

Read more about what we got up to during our residency on our blog posts: A Visible THREAD research residency, A fantastic first week and Endings and Beginnings

Find out about our thoughts behind A Visible THREAD in Making thread visible.

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