
Created during the multiple Covid lockdowns for [RE]VIEW, a collaborative exhibition supported by Creative Accelerator Blackburn, Connected features a meticulously hand-sewn thumbprint measuring 1×1.5 meters, stitched into calico cotton. The intricate lines of the thumbprint map an accurate, scaled-down contour of the canal path from Blackburn to Leeds along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
Having explored thread as a medium in Control (2018), revisiting it here deepens the conversation around conscious and subconscious control during a time of collective panic and uncertainty.
“Growing up in Blackburn, I could see the canal from my bedroom window—its murky waters home to ducks, geese, debris and the occasional swan. The canal brings back memories of summer bike rides and the many makeshift constructions built to reclaim lost footballs. Now, during Covid, it offers me a sense of calm and cIarity as I walk its path, grounding myself through moments of depression and isolation.”
The materials used for Connected were sourced from a local haberdashery in Blackburn, paying homage to the town’s rich cotton mill heritage.