Crafts Council Collections Online
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2020.4
Marnie (2020.4)
Catalogue Record
Collection
Maker
Hannah Greenaway
Title
Marnie
Made in
London
Date
2010
Description
Recycled plastic torso of a child. The face is white and she is wearing a stripy blue and white jumper.
Materials and techniques
This piece is made entirely from recycled plastic carrier bags. The plastic bags have been cut into strips with scissors and the plastic hand knitted on wooden knitting needles using a garter stitch. I alternated blue and white rows to get the material for the jumper. Then a clay sculpture of a child was formed and left unfired and the plastic material was sewn together over the clay sculpture. Using a gentle heat the plastic is then melted and it shrinks to fit the clay and as it cools it goes hard. The clay is then removed leaving a hollow shell of plastic forming the finished piece.
Object number
2020.4
Category
Maker's statement
These child sculptures were a series done in 2009-2012 depicting all the young children I knew and loved at the time. I had just moved to a smaller studio and this had affected my work as it became smaller as I had less space and storage. I also was developing the hand knitted techniques moving away from machine knitted fabric which had its limitations.
I was developing the hand knitted materials and looked at traditional jumper knitting , using different stitches and colours. I was drawn to the Breton pattern for these children’s sculptures. I have long looked at religious art and particularly wooden German carvings for these pieces. I regularly visit the V&A in London, historic houses and European art galleries for inspiration making sketches of torsos and fabrics.
I have always been interested in the history of fabrics. I am fascinated by how closely fabric development and use is closely connected to social, political and economic history. I enjoy the process of making and am always experimenting and educating myself in new techniques.
I was developing the hand knitted materials and looked at traditional jumper knitting , using different stitches and colours. I was drawn to the Breton pattern for these children’s sculptures. I have long looked at religious art and particularly wooden German carvings for these pieces. I regularly visit the V&A in London, historic houses and European art galleries for inspiration making sketches of torsos and fabrics.
I have always been interested in the history of fabrics. I am fascinated by how closely fabric development and use is closely connected to social, political and economic history. I enjoy the process of making and am always experimenting and educating myself in new techniques.