WE MEK Knitted Magazine Cover – Issue One (2023.8)

Catalogue Record

Collection

Primary Collection

Maker

Lorna Hamilton-Brown

Title

WE MEK Knitted Magazine Cover – Issue One

Made in

East Sussex

Date

01/01/2021-31/12/2021

Materials and techniques

The magazine cover was knitting on a domestic Knitmaster F-370 fine gauge (3.6 mm) manual knitting machine using two ends of 2/30 industrial yarn. The method used was intarsia where yarn is laid across the needles at each colour change. This makes working very slow and laborious. The fineness of gauges added another level of complexity to the artwork. Some areas such as the jumper, barcode, orange knitting had the fine details embroidered once the knitting was off the machine. Intarsia knitting creates a lot of ends that need to be sewn in before the embroidery can take place. I don’t actually sew the ends in using a sewing needle; I use a latch hook tool. I find this quicker and neater.

Dimensions

height: 61cm

width: 61cm

Object number

2023.8

Alt Category

New Positions for the Crafts Council Collection

For other objects in this category click the linked text.

Credit

Acquired with Art Fund support, donations by Preston Fitzgerald and Cedric Smith, and Nicholas and Judith Goodison’s Charitable Settlement

WE MEK Knitted Magazine Cover - Issue One, Lorna Hamilton-Brown, 2021, © Lorna Hamilton-Brown, Crafts Council Collection: 2023.8. Photo: Stokes Photo Ltd.

Use of Images and Copyright
WE MEK Knitted Magazine Cover - Issue One, Lorna Hamilton-Brown, 2021, © Lorna Hamilton-Brown, Crafts Council Collection: 2023.8. Photo: Stokes Photo Ltd.

Use of Images and Copyright

Maker's statement

This is a very important artwork for me. It’s the most challenging knitted artwork technically that I have made to date. Also as an activist and the person who called the Crafts Council out in 2020 it marks the start of real change and the formation of the CC Equity Advisory Council. It’s an artwork of it’s time and speaks directly to the debates and issues affecting Black people in crafts. Without Dr Patel’s commission I doubt my work would be showcased at the CC gallery. It is of historical interest in documenting Black people knitting. Being part of Dr. Karen Patel’s seminal WE GATHER exhibition adds to it’s historic significance and has helped to raise my profile in the art world. It’s an artwork that supports my on-going research into the hidden histories of Black makers. Supported using public 6 funding by Arts Council England. This is my first WE MEK knitted magazine cover – so very important. I intend to create others as I find this an excellent creative way to deal with issues I want to highlight. Plus as an artist whose work is imbued with symbolism – the magazine cover is a perfect vehicle. This knitted magazine cover was inspired by the style of photographs British-Ghanaian James Barnor took for South African DRUM magazine. It also pays homage to Angela Davis and Dr Rose Sinclair.