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‘I Can Spin Skies’
Aug 2023 - Jun 2024

A still photo depicting a person standing before a stone palace-type building, wrapped in a long bolt of patterned fabric that spans the full length of the photo.

‘I can spin skies’ spans historical and contemporary textiles and art influenced by textile practices from across Asia. The exhibition takes its title from fifteenth century Persian poet Rumi’s reflection on the humble silkworm’s ability to spin the thread that makes one of the most prized fabrics in the world. Works are shown in dialogue with historical scrolls, photographs, woodblock prints and Buddhist sculpture, signifying the connections between fabric and life across time and continents.

 

‘I can spin skies’ is on display in QAG’s Galleries 5 & 6 (Henry and Amanda Bartlett Galleries) from 5 August 2023 to 23 June 2024. As this is a rotating exhibition, not all Collection works below will be on display simultaneously.



Feature image: Almagul Menlibayeva / Kazakhstan b.1969 / Wrapping history (detail) 2010 / Duratrans print in light box / Purchased 2010 with a special allocation from the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / © Almagul Menlibayeva /

Collection artworks featured in ‘I Can Spin Skies’

Artwork Two phoenix this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2005-01-01

Two phoenix 2005

Artwork Robe this artwork made of Polyvinyl chloride and fishing line, created in 1999-01-01

Robe 1999

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