I am Singing as I am Sewing
Let The Beauty We Love Be What We Do is a collection of new works by Nicole Barakat. This collection is an intensely personal project. As well as Barakat’s work, the show features a collection of jackets and crochet by women of an era gone by, whose creativity and desire to build an identity for themselves was an inspiration to Barakat.
A 4 page booklet accompanied the exhibition, an artwork in itself. It included an artist’s statement which discussed the history and philosophy behind the exhibition, as well as The Poetics of Crochet by Paula Abood and a brief biography of Yolande, whose clothes were the initial inspiration for the show.
Barakat’s work is delicately crafted. Her hand stitched works use a variety of media, yet all focused heavily on the idea if creating something unique. Recurring themes of delicate crochet designs and clothing pattern pieces reflect back on the jackets and crochet work that are her inspiration. As do themes of religion and geography, which were important factors in the lives of Barakat’s muses.
Drawing as Crochet
The series displayed wonderful use of colour and design elements.
It is unusual to be given such a comprehensive insight into the motivating forces behind an artists work. We appreciated the oppertunity to get into Barakat’s head and develop a deeper understanding of her thought process and in turn her creative process.
