This exhibition revolves around the lyrical poetry of Sappho, an ancient Greek female musician. Only fragments of her words remain, yet they find their voice again in the collaborative stitching of workshop participants, facilitated by artist Juliet D. Collins. The works respond to a chosen selection of the 197 remaining fragments, in which they contemplate and continue the conversation that Sappho began in the late 7th century BCE. The poetry offers an insight into the female world of ancient times, where experiences of love, friendship, desire, the body, emotion and the everyday are glimpsed. Throughout time, Sappho has been rediscovered repeatedly and has come to provide connections for feminist and queer writers, artists and communities. The questions she asks continue to resonate in the present, opening conversations around experiences women continue to navigate.
Each participant stitched a section of the fragments of poetry using free motion stitching. These components were pieced together to form the base layer of Deep Archive, a multi-layered assemblage inspired by the strata of the earth. Each subsequent layer represents archaeological exploration and evokes the traces of time through collected everyday items. The work imagines the life of and holds conversation with Sappho as it explores finding what was lost.
Strata, The Deep Archive, 2026, Mixed Media Installation, 284 × 121 × 84cm
Around the walls of the gallery space, fragments of paper are pinned away from the wall in a flowing monochromatic arrangement. Upon closer inspection, the embossing is intriguing and inviting. The embossing was taken from each of the stitched pieces the participants made. It is titled 197 Fragments, and there are 197 embossed torn pieces of paper enveloping the walls.
197 Fragments, 2026, Embossed Paper, Quilting Pins, 3 parts - 550 × 100cm, 562 × 100cm, 605 × 100cm
The final two textile pieces are titled Sappho Fragment 31 and Sappho Fragment 16. These pieces hang in the gallery window and hold the passionate words through the fragile stitching. A soundscape of the poetry fragments in Ancient Greek enhances the exhibition's mood.
Sappho Fragment 31, 2026, Found Fabrics and Paper, Embroidery Thread, 80 × 200cm
Sappho Fragment 16, 20226, Found Fabrics, Embroidery Thread, 80 × 200cm
My interest in this exhibition stems from the way the ideas, words and fragments of the poetry have been translated into three-dimensional form. The monochromatic embossed paper pinned out from the wall, the suspended layered installation in the centre of the space and the stitching on the combination of paper and cloth intrigued me. Texture and layering have always been an important part of my work, and this exhibition exemplifies how visual unity can be created through repetition of various elements and by a neutral colour palette. I have also been seeking ways to present my own textile pieces, and this exhibition sensitively presents work in a suspended manner to affect the viewer’s relationship to the work and the space, which I feel could lend itself to my work.