“They loved to breathe beauty, tradition and romanticism…” woven hair mementos

“They Loved to Breathe Beauty, Tradition and Romanticism” was a site specific installation for ‘Unravelling Nymans’ exhibition, commissioned by Unravelled Arts. The installation consisted of a vintage garment woven sculpture, short film and small woven hair mementos. The installation explored the lives and creativity of the Messel Women who lived at Nymans. Within a fake room setting, the woven hair mementos interacted with the layers of Maud’s’ Regency sewing box and Anne’s Singer sewing machine and explored Maud’s’ and Anne’s’ favourite tools for sewing, crafts(wo)manship and a mothers and daughters unique connection through their creativity. The Woven hair memento intervention used Human hair. Vintage treads. Georgian shoe buckle. Pewter and silver thimbles. Fragments of vintage dress. Vintage buttons and sewing tools. Maud Messel's sewing box, Anne, Countess of Rosse’s singer sewing machine. Nymans furniture and soft furnishings. Framed film stills.