Ian Rankin and wife Miranda Harvey on the threads of creativity
Miranda Harvey and Ian Rankin, founders of the world’s richest award for tapestry, talk about how the artform is woven into the fabric of Scotland and what to expect in the 2019 Cordis Prize Exhibition at Inverleith House Gallery
Miranda Harvey: The first time I was captivated by a piece of tapestry I found myself trying to follow the many threads and imagine how they came together, what the weaver was trying to do, feeling with my eyes, getting lost in the meditative process as I sat absorbed in an artwork that shouted loudly and softly. Guided by my friend, the artist and teacher Laura Magliveras, I began weaving as a hobby and started to explore the world of contemporary tapestry.
This fascination grew and as I joined Ian on book tours around the world I would slip out of signings and seek out tapestries in art galleries, speak to curators and weaving artists about their work. On each occasion my love of tapestry deepened and I was surprised to learn that all threads led back to Edinburgh. My passion became a practice of sorts and as an amateur weaver I now knew of opportunities in Edinburgh to take classes, go on courses and learn from master weavers.
This small beginning led to an unearthing of much much more. With the Dovecot Studios acting as a magnet for artists and weavers, Edinburgh College of Art producing a stream of new talent and a community of world class artists making Edinburgh their home, Scotland’s capital has become the one place where it seems all threads of tapestry come together.
Well, not quite. It still felt like a lot of this activity lay under the surface, unseen and, in my mind, under appreciated. I went back to Laura and together we hatched a plan to remedy this.
Ian Rankin: I’ve had interest in art for a long time, but I have to admit tapestry weaving wasn’t really up there until Miranda became interested and started doing it. I’ve had opportunity to meet people who are weavers but I’ve also got a sense of how important it has been in Scotland. Especially in Edinburgh, with places like the Dovecot Studios, where I went along to see Alison Watt unveil the huge tapestry for the Theatre Royal in Glasgow woven to her design.
It’s an international art form that, as with many things, Scotland punches above its weight in, but in a way that is only recognised outside Scotland. Miranda suggested an international prize showcasing the great stuff happening on the contemporary scene and highlighting that some of it is happening here in Edinburgh. So in 2015 I put some of the proceeds of Rebus to work and we launched the Cordis Prize for Tapestry with an exhibition of the shortlist of ten artworks considered for the prize.
Miranda: In the four years since a great deal has changed. Edinburgh’s place on the world stage for tapestry has grown and it’s exciting to see a growing public interest in the artform.
For 2019, we have increased the prize award to £8,000, making The Cordis Prize the biggest international prize in tapestry and we have been overwhelmed by the number and quality of submissions from around the world and down the road. Our shortlist of 17 works by 16 artists have been drawn from 75 submissions by artists from as far afield as India, Australia, and Russia. Those chosen include renowned weavers from Japan, Norway, Canada, Denmark, Hungary and the United Kingdom. Three of the shortlisted weavers are based in Edinburgh (with two more also based in Scotland) and it’s a wonderful opportunity to see their work as part of the world’s best when the Cordis Prize Exhibition opens tomorrow at the Inverleith House Gallery in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
Tapestry enthusiasts can also attend a dedicated symposium taking place on the opening day of the 2019 Cordis Prize Exhibition at the Royal Botanic Garden. The Thread Runs Both Ways: Heritage and the Future of Tapestry Art will bring together an international panel of speakers to discuss the wealth of talent and creativity in contemporary tapestry.
This year in particular, I’m excited about new initiatives including a Groupwork, inspired by the Edinburgh Physic Garden. The Cordis Groupwork Tapestry will be created by joining 64 individual pieces each woven by amatuer enthusiasts to a design by Natalie Taylor. Under the expert supervision of weaver Jo Mcdonald, this will be the largest collaborative woven tapestry piece made in Edinburgh in living memory. On completion it will be displayed on loan in the Education Centre of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will celebrate the re-creation of the Physic Garden there, to be opened in late 2019.
Ian: I was like many people who first thought of tapestry as a historical work found in a castle or a museum depicting battles, hunting parties or great events of the court. Now, thanks to Miranda’s influence, I am discovering the world of contemporary tapestry. The rationale for the prize was partly to do with demonstrating what an accessible art form this is. Even when it is challenging, it isn’t intimidating in the way that some contemporary art can be. Miranda and I also wanted to give tapestry artists a reason to come together. It can be a very solitary profession, like writing, but, like writers, tapestry artists can be very sociable so I look forward to meeting some of those in Edinburgh for the prize. Once you see a piece of exceptional contemporary tapestry you begin to appreciate fine details in a new way. Seeing thin strips of yoga mats transformed into a weave, paper streamers and fresh ash keys woven into artworks both intrigues and delights the viewer and I can’t wait to see the entire show take over Inverleith House.
Miranda: For the 2019 prize we created a judging panel featuring a master weaver, a renowned arts commentator, a celebrated photographer and cultural leaders keen to choose artworks worthy of the prize on offer. Selecting this shortlist
“It can beavery solitary profession, like writing, but, like writers, tapestry artists can be very sociable”
was an animated, exciting, good-humoured collegiate enterprise. I am grateful to my fellow judges for bringing their technical expertise, aesthetic judgement and enthusiasm to the task.
The result is a group of works designed to astonish and delight in the wonderful setting of Inverleith House. Cordis has a reputation for embracing the contemporary aspects of textile art, as well as honouring the age-old craft foundations of tapestry. This year the show contains multiple qualities: complexity and simplicity, accessibility and bewildering ambition, brilliance and modesty, robustness and delicacy.
It is in the nature of tapestry to work on multiple levels, from across a room or close up. We hope that these pieces will speak amongst themselves as well as to the viewer, and that the conversations they set off will be as joyful and lively as the ones we had in choosing them. Should the experience tempt the visitor to learn more there’s a catalogue of tapestry resources and opportunities to learn on the Cordis Prize website.
● The 2019 Cordis Prize Exhibition runs from tomorrow until 27 May at Inverleith House Gallery, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, www. thetapestryprize.org