Sensorial Loop weaves textile magic

Sensorial Loop: 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial (10 February - 24 March) features 22 creative textile artists from across Australia and covers a range of textiles skills, from resist printed textiles to hand-embroidered cross-stitch and machine-knitted metal sculptural forms.

Previously known as the Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial, Sensorial Loop is the first Tamworth Textile Triennial.

RMIT Gallery Director Suzanne Davies welcomed the return of the Tamworth textile exhibition, which has a long heritage and is recognised nationally as Australia's pre-eminent textile-related exhibition.

Ms Davies said while the exhibition continued to provide artists and audiences with an overview of major developments in Australian textiles, the name change reflected a more contemporary, questioning form of textile practice.

"In Sensorial Loop, audiences will be able to see the ways in which artists are pushing the boundaries of their art and craft," Ms Davies said.

"Work will highlight the use of traditional and machine technologies, as well as the trend of slow making and sustainable practice."

RMIT Textile Design associate lecturers Verity Prideaux and Esther Paleologos will exhibit their creative design work in Sensorial Loop.

Ms Paleologo's piece "Framework", made with enamelled copper wire and stainless steel and wool yarn, explores shadow play created by contrasting surfaces while Ms Prideaux's "A Legacy of Day" uses hand printing and recurring traditional printed images to explore the nature of cloth and history of textiles.

Patrick Snelling, RMIT's Textile Design Program Director and curator of Sensorial Loop, said he hoped the exhibition and its public program of talks and seminars would encourage debate around contemporary textiles.

"As well as promoting excellence and the diversity of making through the ideas that creative practitioners bring to the textile discipline, Sensorial Loop aims to educate and to engage audiences," Mr Snelling said.

To launch the exhibition a contemporary textile seminar will be held on Friday, 10 February, at RMIT. Talks are focused on textile education and research, the collaboration between creative disciplines and the developing synergies with technical, community and industry partners.

Sensorial Loop - Public Events

The following free events explore new directions in textiles. Bookings essential on (03) 9925 1717.

What: New Directions in Textiles
Presented by Tamworth Textile Triennial curator Patrick Snelling and Tamworth Regional Director Sandra McMahon with artists Michele Elliot, Cecilia Heffer and Michelle Hamer.
When: 10.30am - 12pm, Friday, 10 February (includes morning tea)
Where: Storey Hall Conference Rooms 1 and 2, Level 7, 342 Swanston Street, Melbourne

What: Textile Futures: research and collaboration, teaching and technology
Panel members: Patrick Snelling, Dr Juliette Peers, Cecilia Heffer, Emma Byrnes and Leanne Zilka.
When: 2:45pm, Friday, 10 February (includes afternoon tea)
Where: RMIT University School of Fashion and Textiles, Building 514 Auditorium, RMIT Brunswick Campus, 25 Dawson Street, Brunswick

What: Floor talks with contemporary textile artists
With Lucy Irvine, Anton Veenstra, Verity Prideaux and Paula Do Prado
When: 2pm - 3.30pm, Thursday, 22 March (includes afternoon tea)
Where: RMIT Gallery, 344 Swanston Street, Melbourne

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