collections “We have recently agreed to include images of our important early 17th-century Treswell Plan Book in the Layers of London Project. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this is a ground-breaking, interactive online mapping tool for the history of London.”
We continue to preserve, make accessible, and develop our archives and collections, whilst supporting talented artists and craftsmen in a number of fields. Archives It was a busy year for the archivists, with a substantial increase in the number of enquiries received and a higher volume of visitors to the Hall. Whilst many of our activities are of a curatorial nature, we are keen to ensure we continue to make significant strides towards professionalising the care of our archives. Accordingly, we have recently developed an Archives Strategy for The Company, a forward plan to guide our activities over the coming years with the ultimate aim of reaching Archive Accreditation Standard. An important facet of this Strategy is to explore ways in which we can make our collections more accessible online. As an example, we have recently agreed to include images of our important early 17th-century Treswell Plan Book in the Layers of London Project. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this is a ground-breaking, interactive online mapping tool for the history of London.
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the clothworkers’ company annual review 2017
Tapestry Designed by the Turner Prizewinning artist Chris Ofili CBE, and hand-woven by the internationally renowned Dovecot Tapestry Studio in Edinburgh, The Caged Bird’s Song is a bold and vibrant triptych that draws on Ofili’s ongoing interests in classical mythology and contemporary demigods. It is inspired by the stories, magic, and colour of the Trinidadian landscape the artist inhabits.
Above: The Caged Bird’s Song (tapestry), 2014-2017. © Chris Ofili.
The commission and, in particular, the choice of such a prominent artist to design the work, make a powerful statement about our commitment to our root craft and our desire to support endangered skills and nurture talent. The tapestry was installed in Clothworkers’ Hall in September 2017, following the critically acclaimed exhibition at the National Gallery, Chris Ofili: Weaving Magic (April to August 2017), in which the tapestry featured. Since then, we have welcomed more than 130 visitors to the Hall for a series of bimonthly tapestry viewings, in order to meet continued public demand in this magnificent work of art and craftsmanship.
Wool, cotton, and viscose. Courtesy of the artist, Victoria Miro London, The Clothworkers’ Company, and Dovecot Tapestry Studio, Edinburgh. Left: Detail of the Islington area from the Treswell Plan Book, c1612.
Dovecot is one of only two surviving tapestry studios in the UK, and it took a team of five master weavers more than two and a half years to translate Ofili’s watercolour design to the loom – interpreting, replicating, and magnifying each and every colour
and nuance with great skill and artistry. In order to showcase this extraordinary piece further, we will be opening Clothworkers’ Hall for London Craft Week (May 2018). This will involve a series of tapestry master classes, run by Dovecot’s master weavers,
in addition to a lunchtime talk discussing the making of the tapestry. We will also be opening the principal ceremonial rooms of the Hall for Open House London on Saturday, 22nd September 2018.
the clothworkers’ company annual review 2017
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