Two major new exhibitions are now on display at Bankfield Museum.
Hand in Glove and Shared Histories both provide a fascinating look at aspects of history, but in very different ways.
Shared Histories is an exhibition of artworks by the artist Eva Mileusnic, which tells of both hers and her family’s experiences relating to the dispersion of people following the Second World War. In particular, Eva’s artworks reflect ideas relating to her personal experience as a second-generation British/Hungarian, who was born and brought up in England in the 1960s by non-British born parents.
Influenced in part by the historic costume collections held by Calderdale Museums, Eva makes her paintings by digitally altering found photographs, including images of family. She then uses these images to paint or print onto different surfaces; family tablecloths for example, which Eva describes as representing the idea of the domestic and the family home.
Hand in Glove showcases work by Yorkshire designer and knitter, Angharad Thomas, alongside historic gloves, tools, sketchbooks and vintage publications from Bankfield Museum and the Knitting and Crochet Guild collections.
Hand knitted gloves have been made since Medieval times and Angharad has been inspired by a range of historic examples and patterns to create and research gloves, including those worn by the Polar Explorers.
When not knitting gloves, Angharad is volunteer Textile Archivist at the Collection of the Knitting and Crochet Guild, located near Holmfirth.
Angharad said of the exhibition:
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to show my work at Bankfield Museum. It’s a great venue with a fantastic textile collection. Showing my work alongside pieces from here and the Knitting and Crochet Guild collections is really exciting.”
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, Cllr Susan Press, said:
“It’s fantastic that these two very different, but equally intriguing exhibitions are now on display at Bankfield Museum.
“Bankfield has always had a reputation for displaying innovative and interesting exhibitions like these, and along with the award-winning For King and Country exhibition, they make for a great visit.”
Shared Histories is on display until Saturday 7 January 2017, and Hand in Glove will be on show until Saturday 14 January 2017. Both exhibitions are free to visit.
To find out more and for details of other Calderdale Museums, visit http://museums.calderdale.gov.uk/