The award-winning global collaborative embroidery project, The Red Dress, will be displayed in Stellenbosch as part of its ongoing world tour.
Conceived by British artist Kirstie Macloed, the 14-year project comprises a garment that provided an artistic platform for people around the world, many from impoverished communities, to tell their stories through embroidery.
The dress, created from 2009 to 2023, will be on display at iThemba Stellenbosch CraftArt Gallery in Noordwal-Wes Road, Stellenbosch, on Saturday 13 July from 10:00 to 18:00.
The exhibition will also honour the embroidery created by the late Khayamandi resident Noayini Nogemane, supported by textile label Missibaba in 2010. “Ayo has now sadly passed, but her skilled work and voice lives on in The Red Dress,” a statement reads.
During the exhibition, guests will be treated to live music and textile crafts from the Stellenbosch community, as well as The Red Dress with accompanying documentation, video and photographs. Visitors are encouraged to dress in red.
From its establishment, the art project has travelled the globe and been embroided onto by 367 women, 11 men and two non-binary artists from 51 countries. The rest of the embroidery was added by willing audience members at various exhibitions and events.
The garment is made up of 87 pieces of burgundy silk dupion and the 141 commissioned embroiderers were paid for their work and receive a portion of all the ongoing exhibition fees, merchandise and the chance to sell their work through the Red Dress Etsy shop.
The Red Dress has been on show at galleries and museums across the globe, including Gallery Maeght in Paris, Art Dubai, Museo Des Arte Popular in Mexico City, National Library of Kosovo, National Waterfront Museum in Wales, Fashion and Textile Museum in London, and many more. It won first prize at the 2015 Premio Valcellina Textiles Awards in Maniago, Italy.
- For more information on the exhibition and project, email Kirstie on reddressembroidery@gmail.com. Information on the iThemba gallery can be found at ithembacarftart.co.za.
