IN THE LOOP 2 - CALL FOR PAPERS
Knitting: origins and evolution

A four day international conference

SHETLAND MUSEUM & ARCHIVES
Lerwick, Shetland
1-4 September 2010

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Susan Crawford
Deirdre Nelson
Annemor Sundbø

In response to the success of In the Loop held at Winchester School of Art in July 2008, and the continuing interest in knitting, this second interdisciplinary conference proposes an exploration of knitting from a broad range of practical and theoretical perspectives within the theme of tradition and renewal. Proposed papers that cross geographical or chronological boundaries in the following areas are of particular interest:

Knitting - traditions and their renewal in the 21st century
Knitting narratives - film, literature, music, poetry and the internet
Knitting - fashion knitwear including the industry
Knitting cultures from across the world
Knitting - artists and designers crossing boundaries

We welcome new and recent research in the form of short abstracts up to 300 words from practitioners, knitters, historians, conservators, theorists, educators, curators, technologists and the industry. Abstracts will be considered for formal 20 minute papers.

Deadline for abstracts: February 1, 2010
Notification of decision: March 1, 2010

All enquires and abstracts to the Conference Administrator: J.A.Horgan@soton.ac.uk

Please forward to any interested parties.

Selected papers or visual essays will be considered for publication by Shetland Museum and Archives

This is a collaborative event between Shetland Museum and Archives and the University of Southampton Library. The joint organisers are Dr. Carol Christiansen and Linda Newington.

The Knitting Room @
Cornershop June 5 – 28th

Download event poster | Curated by Linda Newington

Free events, all welcome. Cornershop will transform into a knitting room with a difference, so come and participate in our activities, bring your own knitting or use Cornershop’s wool and needles. Find out about the Knitting Collections housed by the University of Southampton including the Knitting Reference Library based at Winchester School of Art.

Followed by a special commission for Cornershop
‘YOU AND WHOSE ARMY?’ June 15 – 28th
See the creatures escape from the museum into Cornershop.
Textile artist Bethany Mitchell
Drop in and meet the artist 11- 4pm. June 15- 19. Viewing only June 20- 28
Supported by Creative Crafts
www.cornershopwinchester.co.uk
27 St Thomas Street, Winchester, SO23 9HJ, 07979 341823

Nostalgia & Renewal Symposia

Download symposia outline| Download booking form

Two linked study days are planned at the Winchester School of Art, England and the Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland around the themes of nostalgia, followed by renewal, in June and July. The two events are inspired, in part, by the three-day conference In the Loop, held in the summer of 2008, which explored contemporary
knitting practice from a number of disciplinary perspectives. The experience of organising In the Loop led us to the theme of nostalgia, an inevitable but complex contributor to the surge of popularity that knitting is currently enjoying. Keen to break the conventional pattern of conferences, two smaller events of a more
experimental nature – nostalgia & renewal – are now on the calendar.

Several issues are guiding the planning of these events. The first has to do with how we talk about textiles, the second is the current economic crisis. At a recent seminar organised by Lesley Millar to coincide with the exhibition Deconocida: Unknown I, along with all participants, was asked to stitch a nametag for one of the women who have died in the lawless Mexican boarder town of Juarez. I found stitching while thinking occupied the audience in a way I had not seen before and have begun to wonder why, at conferences, we allow ourselves to become so separate from the material we are discussing?

One objective of the Nostalgia & Renewal Symposia is to explore alternative approaches to how we talk about textiles. This may involve greater contact with the materials themselves. But it may also involve dynamic conversations, rather than scripted lectures, when exploring new ideas or any other suggestions that deserve a
testing ground. Each speaker at the two events has been invited to reconsider the manner in which they communicate their ideas and use the events to trial new ideas. Many research budgets are looking a little thin on the ground in the current economic
climate, but that need not be an excuse to stop talking. At both events speakers will be making contributions via the Internet. This system is far from ideal, but it does bypass the need for international airline tickets and years of planning before the conversation can start. Textile and craft has never enjoyed lavish financial support. I suggest that this may put us in a strong position currently to continue deploying creative thinking to the research challenges at hand.

Finally, the poetic nature of the two themes – nostalgia & renewal – has allowed us to invite an interdisciplinary group of speakers and, I hope, will interest an interdisciplinary audience. While it is difficult to conceal the central role textiles occupy in the research of many participants, it is our hope that a more eclectic conversation will suggest new ways we might approach textile research in future.

Dr Jessica Hemmings, Associate Director of the Centre for Visual & Cultural Studies, Edinburgh College of Art

Download symposia outline| Download booking form

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