Sheila Hicks

• Textile art is having a revival, as the artists on show at the Barbican exhibition, Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art, attest.
• But it also invites deeper reflection on the societal shifts that have prompted a revival of the art form.
• The exhibition focuses on this subversive nature of textiles in contemporary art through works by artists including Feliciano Centurión.

The changing landscape of exhibiting textiles

• Their three-dimensional fibre structures both physically and metaphorically reclaimed space in an art world largely dominated by their male counterparts.
• Their practices often employ textiles and recycled elements, transcending the European dichotomy between art and craft.
• Private galleries are exerting a growing influence on the art world, and have contributed significantly to the visibility of fibre art and textiles.
• Moreover, the practicality of textiles, being easier to transport and install compared to paintings, further enhances their appeal to galleries.
• The resurgence of textiles in contemporary art provides a vital opportunity for conversation and revision within both the art world and society at large.

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Francesca Stocco does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.