The Collective (Untangled Threads) is a new and innovative group where members can share, learn and engage with each others creativity in a genuinely meaningful and mindful way. We have over 60 fully subscribed members from all over the UK, with a wide range of experiences, ages and expertise. The group is led by Helen Birmingham.

 

This is the second exhibition in an ongoing series of 4 projects. 

Tokens & Amulets: From textile tokens to lucky charms: a visceral response to objects which are believed to have special powers to protect the wearer or to bring good fortune.

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Each member was sent a selection of materials and suggested starting points, fabric and threads, together with project notes and access to an online workshop video.  The work in this exhibition shows the vast range of individual research, thought, focus and experimentation undertaken by our members. It should be seen as WORK IN PROGRESS and none of the work is for sale.

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In his book ‘Body Guards’ the world famous ethologist, Desmond Morris talks about ‘The Armadillo Factor’ .. the fact that human beings, unlike armadillos, do not have a hard protective shell which they can curl up in until the danger passes. So instead, for thousands of years, we have trusted in small, selected objects, which somehow make us feel a little safer when facing the hazards of daily life.   
Body Guards by Desmond Morris
ISBN: 1-86204-572-0

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Although it is easy for some to mock a belief in amuletic protection, the key point is that if you DO BELIEVE or TRUST in it, it might give you some comfort and a small peace of mind in certain difficult circumstances. This in turn lowers your stress levels and boosts your immune system. It might be worth considering that modern methods of ‘keeping healthy’ often do just the opposite .. they obsess us with stresses and anxiety which are actually our greatest enemies. So, if we do believe that tokens, amulets, talismans and charms have the power to keep misfortune at bay, and that belief gets us through another day of fears and threats (some real, some imagined) … well … scientists might call it a ’placebo effect’, but if it works for you … why not ?

 

And at the very least, just being creative will stimulate a calming response through mindfulness and slow stitching! For clarity, I feel the need to say that the objects we are looking at in this project tend to fall in 3 distinct categories:

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Personal & Particular
Ancient & Historical
Modern & Active

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If we create our own tokens or amulets, it feels important to state that any  ‘power’ we feel they have can really only ever be described as a personal belief. We can study ancient examples and historical beliefs, but we should also be mindful not to offend or trivialise anyone’s modern spiritual or religious belief.