Michelle Abbott
I have been working with threads in my work for over 15 years after originally being a painter since graduating from the University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh College of Art in 1996. Whilst developing a new body of work which questioned human connections, chance meetings and digital interactions, I felt that paint was the wrong medium and I started using threads as a drawing medium on paper to literally tie connections together. Threads are now my primary medium and I have produced several series’ of works on paper and canvas incorporating non-objective subject matter and abstracted text. In 2011 my paternal family tree was traced back to 1815, all rooted in the East End of London around Bethnal Green and Shoreditch – the weavers and tailors’ quarters of that time. Looking back at my lineage there are generations of tailors, silk winders and haberdashers – I knew nothing of this when I started working with threads. In 2013 I was invited to show a series of these works in a medical centre in Bethnal Green, in conjunction with the Whitechapel Gallery, and an independent gallery in Shoreditch and it felt like a homecoming of sorts. In 2022 I received a DYCP Arts Council award to undertake a period of historical research and work experimentation investigating further into my roots of East End Tailors. I use threads as a drawing medium, sculptural material and colour form and incorporate their symbolism into certain questions based around human connections, domestic bliss and more recently socio-economic divides.
Born 1972, London.
1991 - 1996 MA Fine Art - University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh College of Art
2000 - present - Studio member at Phoenix Art Space, Brighton 2000
2022 - Awarded Arts Council DYCP funding
Exhibitions
April 2022 - WRAP space. Group Show, Brighton.
May 2016 - MiY workshop, Brighton. Solo window exhibition, Brighton Festival.
Feb 2016-17 - Blithale Medical Centre, in conjunction with the Whitechapel Gallery, London.
Sep 2015 - Brighton Art Fair, Brighton
Dec 2013 - Freeze – Espacio Gallery, London
April 2013 - The Other Art Fair, London
May 2011 - Open Fridge, Brighton
May 2011 - Solo show, Moksha, Brighton
March 2011 - Golden Square, London.
Feb 2011 - Light Bite, Nottingham
Feb 2011 - A New Year Exhibition, Solo show, Rushtead House, Surrey
Nov 2004 - Brighton Art Fair
Oct 2004 - On Site, Group Show, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
Sep 2004 - Lewes Art Fair
Feb 2004 - Digital works on show at Mojoe, Brighton
Sep 2003 - FS+RGxM=3, Group Show, O2 Brasserie, London
Oct 2002 - Hang Ten, Group show, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
July 2002 - And so on…, Collaborative show, Mojoe, Brighton
March 2000 - Kromatik, Solo show, Jacs Gallery, London
Oct 1999 - Jam, Group show, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
Aug 1999 - Undercurrents, 2 person show, Phoenix Gallery, Brighton
May 1999 - TellyOffy, Solo show, No Man’s An Island, Brighton
March 1999 - Nu - Nu, Solo show, Hawth Theatre, Crawley
June 1996 - Welcome to Shellyland, Degree show, Edinburgh
March 1996 - Young Students, Group show, RSA, Edinburgh
Jan 1996 - Dear Jim..., Installation, La Belle Angele, Edinburgh
Sep 1995 - Shelly and me (I love you with all my art...), London
June 1994 -Summer Show, Vintners Vaults, Edinburgh
Nov 1993 - A Mile of Art, Royal Mile, Edinburgh
Commissions
1996 - present - Completion of over 25 private commissions – painting and drawing. Works held in private collections in UK, Europe and USA
Dec 97/98/99/03 - Commission of 13 small-scale paper based works for the annual Williams Lea Desktop Calendar.
Dec 96-July 97 - Corporate painting commission for reception area of Williams Lea Group Ltd, London.