I recently returned from a research trip to New York, visiting exhibitions and textile studios. I picked up some golden nuggets in NYC and thought I would jot them down so that stateside textile lovers can discover them too.

Blue The Tatter Textile Library

I loved the peace and quiet of this library and discovered artists I would never have otherwise found through trawling the shelves. And they let you have the space all to yourself! It’s is in the same building as Textile Arts Centre, so if you happen to be doing a workshop there, you could visit both on the same day.

‘BLUE, The TATTER Textile Library, opened its doors in June of 2017. Serving as both an interactive, ongoing art-installation as well as an academic research library, BLUE is an ever-growing home to 6,000 books, journals, exhibition catalogs and objects that examine and celebrate the global history, traditions, makers, craft and beauty of textiles. Open to the public by appointment, BLUE is an immersive reading and learning space. It offers visitors an aesthetic and tactile experience in its carefully chosen hues and textures.’

2. The Brooklyn Museum

You are spoilt for choice with epic museums in NYC but of everything I saw, the curation at The Brooklyn Museum truly blew me away. I had to walk through every exhibition at least twice to take it all in. Everyone should see Judy Chicago’s ‘The Dinner Party’ before they die. The detail, the mixture of textile and ceramics, the scale, the personality. Oh my goodness, if I had only seen that it would have been worth the trip. But add to that Long Live Trash by Brooklyn-based artist Duke Riley; East of Sun, West of Moon by Oscar yi Hou; It’s Pablo-matic by Hannah Gadsby and the recent transfer of Africa Fashion from the V&A. Go, go, go before it all gets replaced with even more interesting stuff.

3. Fabscrap

Very much off the beaten track and only for the die hard textile fans out there. Fabscrap is on the outskirts of town, in an area of Brooklyn I doubt many tourists would find themselves in. But hidden on the fifth floor of an old army transportation base is the most incredible textile recycling centre. Fabscrap takes fabric waste from the garment industry, sorts it, and makes it available for designers, makers, quilters and sewers to rummage through and take home at bargain prices. I believe they also have a site in Philly, so check them out if you are there too.

4. The Tenement Museum

This is another one you might not expect to be on the list, but I loved the guided tour I had of The Tenement Museum. This museum tell the stories of Immigrant families who have moved to New York through preserving their apartments and livelihoods. I chose to go on the 100 Years Apart tour, which focused on two mothers working in the garment industry 100 years apart. You could sit at a sewing machine and the voice of one of the seamstresses who sewed at that same machine will give you an oral history.

‘Explore how immigrant women coped with economic hardship through the stories of Natalie Gumpertz and Mrs. Wong. Hear how these two women, living a century apart, shared similar struggles, hopes, and survival strategies as they made new lives while working in New York City’s garment industry. Visit the recreated 1880s tenement apartment of the Gumpertz family, whose primary breadwinner disappeared during the Panic of 1873. Then visit an interactive 1980s Chinatown garment shop that connects you directly to the memories of Mrs. Wong, her children, and her co-workers.’

5. Bisa Butler - The World Is Yours

Bisa Butler is the kinda textile artist who is completely redefining the medium. You can barely believe her portraits are made up entirely of fabric and stitch. The World Is Yours exhibition showcased some of her most recent work. She had made most of the pieces in the exhibition this year, which, when you consider the level of detail, is truly mind-blowing. Whilst this exhibition won’t be on for much longer, many of her works are finding homes in the permanent collections of museums across the US, so do seek her out if you get the chance. Fingers crossed The World is Yours will cross the Atlantic at some point too.

This trip redefined the way I think about what a sewing machine can do. It was made possible thanks to Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) funding from Arts Council England. I think it’s one of the best things ACE offer - it gives artists a chance to take stock, focus on what they want to be making and invest in research and training. I’m really grateful to have been a recipient this year.

Thanks so much to my dear pals Caroline (whose textile work is pictured above on the left) and Elise for having me stay with them and for all the local tips. If you are a fellow textile lover with more intel on New York, please do feel free to pop further recommendations in the comments below.

A Textile Lover's Guide to New York