Curated by Sumayya Menezes, the textile and fibre art based exhibition brings together six contemporary South African artists working with needle and thread to create richly evocative visual scapes. Delicate embroidery, intricate stitching and richly brocaded tapestries contrast with bold, graphic subject matter, inviting the viewer to explore a textured topography of marks and stitches. Each artist embarks on a deeply personal and introspective excavation, using a metaphoric language of stitches and soft cloth to articulate a diversity of themes. These include notions of intimacy and vulnerability presented in Hannah Macfarlane’s experimental sculptures, Sizwe Sama and Alka Dass’s probings into marginalised identities, and Slindile Sithole’s considerations of womxn’s roles in society.

A selection of historic textile pieces from the collection of the Phansi Museum provide an intriguing contrast with the contemporary work presented, showcasing the role of textiles in preserving histories and passing down otherwise forgotten narratives. The exhibition further includes work from members of Fibreworks, a group of about 50 South African artists working in fibre and textile mediums.