The exhibition Soft Power - lives told through textile art highlights how cloth can play a unique role in telling our stories and is used to communicate life’s journey. As something we encounter daily, cloth creates an immediate connection between the artist and the viewer, making these stories feel familiar and relatable.  

The artworks focus on storytelling. They bring to light personal and collective experiences, from the autobiographical and hidden struggles of marginalised individuals to stories shaped by major events like the pandemic.  

The works share intimate and emotional portrayals of self-expression while making bold statements about empowerment and change. They highlight how cloth can connect women across cultures, recording and reflecting their experiences.   

The exhibition is curated by internationally-renowned textile art pioneer, Professor Alice Kettle, with curator of international textiles Professor Lesley Millar MBE.   Click here to reserve your place for Soft Power: Curators in Conversation, 16 May. 

Complementing this exhibition we are collaborating with Bristol Refugee Artists Collective (BRAC) and Dorcas Dress Project (DDP) to deliver a series of free-to-access workshops with Refugees across Bristol. In these creative workshops participants will co-create a textile installation that will feature alongside an interactive installation exploring empowerment through textiles.

Exhibiting contemporary artists 
Anurita Chandola, Mona Craven, Rachel Fallon, Sarah-Joy Ford, Enam Gbewonyo, Shelly Goldsmith, Pippa Hetherington, Kani Kamil, Sabine Kaner, Alice Kettle, Reiko Koga, Philippa Lawrence, Lise Bjorne Linnert, Susie MacMurray, Alice Maher, Suzumi Noda, Jane Poulton, Margaret Nicholson, Paula Reason, Erin M Riley, Lasmin Salmon, Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui, Ellen Sharples, Kari Steihaug, Maryam Wahid, Audrey Walker.

Image credit: Cushion Quilt, Lasmin Salmon.