Love Lace @ The Powerhouse Museum

The Love Lace exhibition
Powerhouse Museum
opens Saturday 30th July.
134 artists from 20 countries unleash their passion for lace in this spectacular exhibition of winning entries and finalists in the Powerhouse Museum International Lace Award. Playful and inventive, the works on display present a provocative challenge to traditional concepts of lace. The artists push lace techniques in surprising new directions — knitting human hair into sculptures of human organs, crocheting steel wire into a ghostly motor engine, carving lace patterns from the body of a rusty old truck. See lace in fashion, jewellery, sculpture, lighting and digital multimedia installations.

The Love Lace International Symposium: Not just a Thread
Venue: Powerhouse Museum
Saturday 30th July: 9.00am – 4.30pm

Join a selection of international and interstate artists represented in the Love Lace exhibition, as they bring to light issues arising from the creative brief, broadening the definition of lace to an ‘openwork structure whose pattern of spaces is as important as the solid areas’. Be inspired by insights into vastly different artistic practices. For bookings for the Symposium (which includes morning/afternoon teas and lunch) and information on the speakers visit the website.

Love Lace Master Classes
Venue: Powerhouse Museum
Sunday 31 July
Join artists who are represented in the exhibition Love Lace in Master Classes where you learn fantastic skills:

Indigenous Weaving techniques with Mavis Ganambarr (Elcho Is)
Join Mavis Ganambarr and assistant Cathie Martin in this master class and learn an ancient hand-weaving technique that is reminiscent of traditional needle lace. Participants will weave a coil basket as well as a hand woven mat using native pandanus collected and dyed by Mavis and the weavers of Elcho Island. Bookings here.

Design for Laser Cutting with Douglas McManus (textile designer tutor at RMIT).

Have you ever wondered how to laser cut fabric, wood, plastic, card – here is your opportunity. Douglas McManus has been a major contributor to the development of Australian printed textiles, both as a practitioner, curator and textiles teacher at RMIT. The Powerhouse Museum collection includes four examples of his textile designs. Bookings here.

Bobbin Lace Jewellery with Lauran Sundin (US)
Join Lauran Sundin in this master class and create your own unique piece of jewellery using bobbin lace techniques. Lauran Sundin is a practising artist from New Hampshire, USA. Sundin is a weaver and jeweller of 30 years experience who uses bobbin lace technique. She turns delicate gold and silver wire into a stable mesh. Students will make a brooch, using stainless steel and gold wire with sterling silver beads. Bookings here.

Not to be missed!