Exhibitions

In our rapidly evolving modern world, traditional crafts are gradually fading, eclipsed by the march of industrialisation and mass production. Eclipsed Presence seeks to recontextualise these time-honored practices within a contemporary framework, engaging in a dialogue between absence and presence, disappearance and resurgence. 

Reflecting on the artist’s own experience, she recalls the sweaters that her mother used to knit for her when she was a child. At the time, she resented them, seeing them as markers of a working-class identity that set her apart from her peers. Ironically, what was once a symbol of modesty has now resurfaced as a fashionable, sought-after item in contemporary culture. This transformation speaks to the shifting perceptions of value and authenticity in our society. 

Eclipsed Presence has evolved from a residency that the artist recently undertook in Morocco. During her time there, she was inspired by the Amazigh people and their unwavering commitment to handmade crafts. They continue to spin, dye wool and knit sweaters by hand, not merely as a nostalgic gesture, but as a living tradition that embodies their cultural identity and resilience. Their approach challenges us to reconsider the worth of the handmade in a world increasingly dominated by the digital and the disposable. 

This new video installation explores these themes, bridging the gap between what has been lost and what can be reclaimed, illuminating the enduring relevance of traditional crafts in a contemporary context. 

Image: Cyrus Tang, Eclipsed Presence (detail) 2024, video, steel mesh and knitted wool sculpture. Photo Mohammed Aghbouchi.