“Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.” Paul Klee
I believe in the permanence of textiles, carrying peoples’ memories and experiences. My conceptual work explores the fragility of textiles, and attempts to transform this vulnerability into something permanent, capturing a moment in time and holding the memory.
Our memories shape us, constantly lingering in our subconscious. Past events, people and emotions are recalled by a snippet of text, a headline, a date, a fragment of music, transporting us back in time, locally, globally and personally. I reassemble repurposed materials, often with inherent memory, such as vintage maps, newspapers and cassette tapes, into woven structure and form. Connecting with the materials through the process, these ‘waste’ materials are given value, integrity, depth and character. The woven pieces convey an emotion, a feeling, a reaction.
Becoming increasingly important are the abstract works on paper, canvas and wood panel made using collage, printing and drawing techniques. In these, I explore colours, textures and forms which are later reinterpreted as woven renditions. Free of the constraints of the loom, my handwriting is able to express itself in fluid, organic marks and biomorphic, dynamic shapes echoing pebbles, flora and driftwood collected on visits to Scotland, Iceland and various sites on the British and Dutch coastlines. These wild places where nature makes itself known in a raw, elemental way are a constant source of inspiration to me.
Veronica Pock | Handwoven textiles 