The most interesting tapestry I have seen is the Guernica tapestry version of Picasso's painting. This is completely unique. I like it because it doesn't look like every other single tapestry. Another point of intrigue is how tapestries were used as a status symbol, and people took them around with them like a treasured item. As I read into the history a bit more it says that tapestries died out because wallpaper and other interior decorating methods were becoming more popular and cheaper. I suppose I am most interested in these aspects of the tapestries because in the current project I am thinking about purpose and functionality of average items in our culture.Another aspect of medieval tapestries is their use of space. More specifically, the famous Bayeux tapestry. Only 20 inches high, but 233 feet long, it encircles the room. It gives you the ability to almost become part of the tapestry, following it with eyes or feet around the room to unravel the story. This reminds me of a recent exhibition in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff. The artist filmed different generations of people who live in a small village affected by a natural disaster. The villagers were each silently filmed standing on a spinning black carrousel, in a black room. A painter had a bucket of paint and paint brush, a mother had a pram etc. In the exhibit there was several large screens surrounding the room, and you stood in the centre. On each screen a different video of a different villager was playing. You had to turn, and move around, and in a way interact with the videos around you to understand the story.
A couple of weeks ago, our class went to the outskirts of the Brecon Beacons to see an artist called Ruth Mclees. Her paintings are like modern tapestries. Although there is no weaving or embroidery, there is plenty of meaning and history to each piece of work. She paints portraits on fabric. Mclees works with the tones of colour in the fabric, this way entangling her painting and the original print on the fabric. Each person she paints supplies her with an important piece of fabric to them. This way the painting has an incredible depth of meaning. One lady had her portrait painted onto her own wedding dress. This also brings in the aspect of space and body since the fabric is usually sourced from the models home. The links between classic medieval tapestries and Ruth Mclees work are very interesting, however I still would not like to have either in my own home.
