The Shuttle Hive: A Century of Rising Threads
The National Museum at Collins Barracks
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Shuttle Hive: A Century of Rising Threads is an exhibition currently on display at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks. The exhibition was curated by Alison Connelly, an artist and fashion designer. In partnership with the Design & Craft Council of Ireland, the launch on November 4th coincided with the Dublin-based conference, Mise Eire? Shaping a Nation with Design, which had a wider aim of examining national and collective identities in Ireland through discussion of design and craft.
The exhibition serves as an ode to how historical and political issues can have an impact on contemporary clothing. It is comprised of panels of three garments, each with their own central theme inspired by the various roles women had in the war of independence. The aim was to create a “tapestry of values” through the use of both modern and traditional fabrics.
In the first panel, “Architects of Resistance”, the clothes are like pillars of strength, crafted from earth-coloured fabric. Next is “Patriot Red”: inspired by the juxtaposition of the landscape of Ireland with the bloodshed of revolution, the colours echoed blood-stained rubble and rebel dust. This was followed by “Suffragettes and Thimble Bruises”. The clothes in this panel identified activists and family tribes via the presence of stitched patterns. These garments featured the work of textile artist Katie Hanlan and silversmith Gemma O’Leary, who used motifs alluding to resistance and family as adornment.
The next panel, “Domestic Currency” explores the dynamism of wartime roles. The outfits bring to mind housewives and their secret patriotism. It’s reflected in the cut of these garments, which re-work traditional forms with strikingly angular elements. Another inspiration here is the admiral butterfly, which represents the metamorphosis these multi-faceted women went through in times of conflict. The final panels, “New Myths, Old Wounds” and “Marching Queens”, feature the contributions of textile weavers Molloy & Sons and embroiderer Arvdas Zapivalova, and the leatherwork of artist Roisin Gartland, respectively. The care and detail of their work lift these pieces and add depth to the exploration of the themes in question.
The collection is successful in commemorating a fraught and diverse time through a retrospective and well-considered perspective. It is a celebration of the identity of Irish women and the high quality of Irish craftsmanship. A visit to the exhibition presents a unique and thought-provoking way of re-tracing the narrative of 1916.
