Common Threads
Martina Margetts, Crafts magazine
May 2022
The warp and weft of humanity are woven into the textile works of Sheila Hicks and Magdalena Abakanowicz, two artists who have consistently defied categorisation. Both have exploded the boundaries of fibre art by liberating weaving from the traditions of wall-based work and exploring the potential of textiles in immersive installations, radically reimagining what yarn can do. This year, the American and Polish artists are celebrated in two major UK exhibitions: Sheila Hicks: Off Grid, currently at the Hepworth Wakefield (until 25 September) and, later in the year, Magdalena Abakanowicz at Tate Modern (17 November – 21 May 2023). While their pioneering practices contrast, exploring the commonalities between the two women sheds light on both of their work. […]