Artist Angela Maddock uses traditional craft skills to explore themes around feminity, space and relationships. In Blood Line, she knits a continuing bond with her mother, a red line that binds together their separate yarns and their separate lives. As they knit they share stories: the line twists and turns, and in its form recalls the spiral bind of DNA. This metaphor for life testifies to their connection, defying the miles that keep them apart.

“There was always knitting when I was a child. I cannot remember being taught, it just happened. My grandmother’s knitting was magic: she knitted fair-isle jumpers as she shouted at the wrestling, eyes rarely off the screen - her fingers playing out their own game. Her last knitting project would be a jumper for me.

“Now, years later, my Mum and I knit together: a thin red line that testifies to our bond, we are separated by distance, yet still connected. Each time we meet, we knit.

“The first time: face-to-face, fingers touching. I could hardly look at her and my eyes threatened to spill. She chatted easily with everyone and I, envying her composure, acutely aware of all that would one day be lost, bit at the inside of my mouth.

“Time passes and the distance grows. Now our needles are not so physically close, I feel the promise of loss less acutely. We are relaxed in our sharing and yet we grow further apart. At some point the easy talking will stop: we must shout. Eventually shouting won’t be enough, the line will stretch and our distance grows. Yet, still we are bound one to the other, the needles moving, yarn crossing flesh, line growing…”

'Blood Line' Performance
by Angela Maddock
Saturday 5 April 2008
11.00 - 15.00

Opening times:
Monday to Saturday
09.30 - 17.30
Closed on Sunday

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