I first came across the work of Polish printmaker and weaver Tadek Beutlich (1922-2011) in Ditchling Museum several years ago. Beutlich lived in Ditchling for a while, where he ran a weaving studio. Then in 1974 he moved to Spain, where he ditched the looms and worked just using his hands (“off loom weaving”).
The exhibition of his work at Morley Gallery, curated by Emma Mason Prints, mixes these off loom pieces with loom work and prints, highlighting his versatility and flexibility. While his loom-woven piecs are very beautiful, his off-loom work exudes a sense of movement and freedom that would not be possible within the constraints of a conventional warp.
To accompany the exhibition, Morley Gallery ran a workshop with Tim Johnson a couple of weeks ago, inspired by the binding and twining techniques Beutlich used in his work. It was fun to experiment surrounded by such inspiring examples.
Tadek Beutlich: Innovations in Textile and Print runs at Morley Gallery until 30 November.
When it closes, the next exhibition at the gallery is Wreathed, an exhibition celebrating the talents of Morley College’s textiles and jewellery tutors and alumni.
As a new tutor starting in January, I get to include some of my work, so the show will feature my coiled tortoise and random weave puzzle ball.
Wreathed runs at Morley Gallery 7 – 15 December.