The Barbican has a beautifully curated show about power and politics in textile art. A refreshing, clever, and revealing assertion of a mostly feminine sensibility. Most striking were Cecilia Vicuña (Quipu Austral, 2012), South African artist Igshaan Adams (Prayer Clouds, 2021-23), and Magdalena Abakanowicz (Vêtement Noir, 1968). Vicuña’s work is long lengths on unspun wool, swaying gently to the sound of chanted poems about water. Quipu is a knot (Andean) and a system of communicating with the cosmos which was banned by the Spanish colonisers. Adams takes us on a walk through dusty borderlands - in this case between segregated towns. Abakanowicz’s work is made of sisal iron and horse hair. The Polish artist said she found traditional textiles a way to escape government surveillance of the arts and as a result a place for experimentation. Each work comes with a detailed story.
