From castles to climate change: Calico Dress Exhibition stitches Wales’ story

The National Botanic Garden of Wales will host the Calico Dress Exhibition, a community textile project led by participating textile artist, Menna Buss, next month.

The project was commissioned by the Welsh Museum, and celebrates Welsh identity, heritage and creativity through embroidery.

The Calico Dress is the “first girl”, a sister dress of the internationally-renowned Red Dress, a 14-year collaborative embroidery project between individuals from almost 400 countries.

Heritage

More than 279 people from all over Wales have already contributed to the Calico dress, responding to the Wales of the past, present and future.

Designs range from castles and sciences to action on climate change to migration stories. Each motif tells a story, turning the dress into a vibrant communal work of art.

Menna Buss, textiles artist and lead for the Calico dress project, said: “Considering the collaboration with Amgueddfa Cymru, I wanted to create a newly imagined folk costume for Welsh communities to leave their embroidery mark. It’s a kind of wearable time capsule that grows, decorated with people’s stories and ideas!”

Perspectives

The National Botanic Garden of Wales’ ‘Stitching Botanica’ group have been invited by Menna to contribute embroidery inspired by the Welsh Daffodil.

Textile A Level pupils from Ysgol Maes Y Gwendraeth and community groups will also contribute, ensuring a mix of experience, artists and new perspectives.

The exhibition will be on view in the Garden’s Oriel yr Ardd between 3 and 9 October. A ‘Stitch Retreat’ will also be held on Sunday 5 October.

For more information, visit the event page here.