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FRAGMENTATION
How far can something be fragmented until it falls apart? I like to distress fabric but it can be difficult to know when to stop before going too far (see Burying, here). Once a piece has become very fragile, it may need repairing and strengthening to make it more durable (see Repair, here).
FRAGILITY
Marked was made using lightweight and sheer fabrics. Parts were stained by wrapping the cloth around rusty objects, while other pieces of the cloth were screen printed. The fabric was fragmented, then patched and repaired. Rather than cutting, I used an embellisher machine to divide the cloth. The repetitive motion of the barbed needles distressed the fabric, breaking down the woven fibres, making it fragile and easy to tear apart. It was easy to make holes in the transparent, lightweight cotton organdie. The cloth was also reconstructed using the embellisher machine, needle punching fragile scraps to the base fabric. Further repairs were made using fine thread and hand stitching (see image on here).
‘Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far it is possible to go.’
T. S. Eliot
Shelley Rhodes, folded Coral Cloth with fragments.
Shelley Rhodes, Coral Cloth. 120 x 50cm (47¼ x 19¾in).
Small fragments of cloth and thread can be trapped between layers of water-soluble film, such as Aquabond, which is sticky and holds everything in place while working. The snippets are held in position within the film sandwich, then stitched together, and when the film is washed away, only the stitching remains, revealing a very fragile structure.
Coral Cloths is a series of work made in response to the devastating bleaching events of the world’s coral reefs. Holes were made in the fabric using devoré paste and by hand cutting with small, sharp scissors (see Making Holes, here). Different weights of fabric were used, including very lightweight and sheer. The fragmented pieces were joined using hand stitch to create new large cloths. I made the work virtually colourless to represent the bleached coral. Washing added to the fragility, making the cloths very soft and translucent in parts (see Washing, here). They can be hung, gently folded, layered or rolled, yet still remain very light and fragile.
Jenny Bullen’s recent work takes the form of fragile book structures. It has been inspired by walks along the shoreline – watching the birds on the mudbanks when the tide is out, observing the constantly shifting patterns made as sea meets land, and noting the ever-changing colours and marks left in the sand. She has a love and respect for kantha and running stitch lies at the heart of her pieces.
‘Recently I have made a series of small, imperfect, concertina-type books, folding and creasing to make “pages”. I like to use sheer fabric so that the stitches can be seen on both sides of the work as it is folded – the same stitch viewed differently. They are lightweight and delicate with a certain vulnerability. Although the work appears very fragile, I think textiles should be handled – so I display them on a plinth or shelf rather than as a wall hanging.’
Jenny Bullen, Fragile Book Form. 7 x 130cm (2¾ x 51¼in)
Jenny Bullen Fragile Book Form (details).
She works without planned sketches or drawings but aims to establish a sense of place in her work. She gathers fabrics together first – transparent and opaque, sometimes hand coloured and dyed, as well as scraps and snippets of commercially printed fabric. During this part of the process, she has a colour palette in her mind as she recalls a particular walk, as she explains:
‘Although I like to draw and paint, I tend to stitch intuitively, working from instinct, recalling the sea or land, but do not have any drawings or images in front of me. I work without a plan, not really knowing how it will end up, but knowing that if I have put thought into the fabrics at the beginning, I should be okay. Sometimes I use one fabric for the piece, in which case I tend to apply fabric scraps as I stitch to add depth and colour. Other times I cut or tear fabrics and stitch them together as I work. I like frayed edges and often leave loose ends, which adds to the feeling of fragility.
For this series, I start with one long piece, then attach small scraps of coloured chiffon and indigo-dyed fabric. I try not to be too choosy as I select fragments, which I overlap and join with a few rows of running stitch. The repetitive, rhythmical motion of the stitching links to the movement of the sea. Occasionally, I punctuate the lines with a small cross stitch or French knot. I also love to over sew tucks or consciously pull the stitches to add texture to the piece. I use sewing cotton or fine silk thread so that the lines of stitching are not overpowering. When I consider I have the correct length, I may wax the piece if it seems rather fragile.’
WORK LARGE, THEN FRAGMENT
Many artists work on a large scale before isolating areas and cutting to make a series, or reconfiguring the fragmented pieces and re-joining to make a new piece of work. Fabric and paper can easily be fragmented by simply cutting, ripping or tearing. A seam ripper is a useful tool for fragmenting cloth. Fabric can also be slashed or shredded using a knife or rotary cutter. A viewfinder can help the selection process: the simplest way is to cut two L-shaped pieces of card, which can be overlapped and adjusted to make a square or rectangular frame. Alternatively, try a more random approach by turning work over and cutting from the back, using the element of chance to decide where the cuts will appear. Edges can be softened or made slightly ragged through manipulation, using a wire brush or embellisher machine.
Working in this way is a great way to make a series, as the colours and marks belong together since they were all made at the same time. It also introduces a different scale, allowing for large, bold gestural marks, which usually do not happen when working on small pieces. I often use this approach with sketchbook and collage work. When working in my daily sketchbook, for example, if I make a drawing that doesn’t quite work, I simply cut it up to make a series of smaller pieces.
Sticky labels
A fun thing to try is to work on a sheet of sticky labels in the same way as any other piece of paper, by drawing, painting, printing and adding text. Once finished, simply peel the labels off and rearrange. There is an element of serendipity as the fragmentation is already predetermined. Of course, the labels can be torn or cut further, in a regular or irregular way. They can then be reassembled, with spaces in between or butted up together, and they can be bonded to fabric or interfacing prior to stitching.
I worked on two sheets of labels, inspired by my beachcombing collection. I used them to create three different pieces of work and still have lots of bits left over that will end up incorporated into my sketchbook.
Drawings on sheets of sticky labels with found fragments (before fragmentation).
Shelley Rhodes, Bay Collage (sticky labels). 30 x 30cm (12 x 12in).
Shelley Rhodes, Bay Fragments (sticky labels). 30 x 30cm (12 x 12in).
