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Why are so many contemporary artists turning to thread, fabric and fibre to make their most powerful work?

Textile art has surged into the spotlight, shedding its long-standing association with domesticity and craft to take centre stage in galleries, biennales and critical discourse. Authors Ramona Barry and Beck Jobson explore this vibrant resurgence, and the way artists across the globe are embracing traditional techniques like weaving, embroidery, quilting and dyeing, while pushing them into bold new territory. Far from decorative or nostalgic, these works speak to urgent contemporary themes: identity, gender, migration and environment.

Textiles have become a site of resistance, storytelling and innovation. This global survey of forty-four artists reveals the shifting boundaries between craft and fine art, and the expressive power of cloth in the hands of today’s most boundary-pushing creatives. Textile art isn’t just having a moment, it’s reshaping the conversation.