exhibitions summer 2008
Main Gallery
Present show:
28 June – 1 Sept 2008
Denim - the Fabric of our Lives
Denim is a Hub curated exhibition in partnership with Val Beattie and Penny Alfrey from the School of Art and Design, Loughborough University. It will explore the cultural, sartorial, social-political and aesthetic dimensions of the textile. A journey from the past to the present, from rural England to the prairies of North America, from hard labour to high fashion, from the street to chic, from the movies to rock and roll, from cowboys to couture, from motor bikes to après le ski, from Melbourne to Monterrey. This is one of the most ambitious shows yet to be curated by the Hub. It is intended that the show will tour internationally.
Other shows this season:
11 April – 15 June 2008
Departures: New explorations in print
Departures is a touring exhibition by the London Printworks that looks at innovation in print practice and exploration in pattern. Departures is a highly interactive experience exploring new relationships between people, print and material. It aims to challenge preconceptions about printed textiles.
111213 by Fiona Zobole
During the exhibition visitors can take part in Action Time Vision’s imaginary royal dinner party; dance on Linda Florence’s icing sugar patterned floor; tune into Simon Elvins’ map of official and not-so-official radio stations in the area; and watch Christopher Pearson’s traditional wallpapers come to life and decide, alongside Rhian Solomon, if you really are a size 10.
Sleaford School of Performing Arts members dance on Linda Florence's icing sugar floor
Departures is part of London Printworks Trust’s Homespun programme, funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Homespun's central aim is to enable emerging artists and designers to make and exhibit new bodies of work by offering the opportunity to experiment with the printed textile.
Departures has been kindly supported by Arts Council England and Lambeth Arts.
Roof Gallery
Present show:
26 July - 31 August
Deviants - Crafts Council
Deviants presents objects drawn from the Crafts Council Collection that explore the playful and bizarre.
Deviants challenges the notion that craft is merely decorative or practical. Some of the objects are the humorous and playful versions of their domestic or ornamental ancestors, such as a simple fruit bowl becomes a playground for grapes (Hans Stofer) or a classical vase that grows ears! (Henry Pim).
Deviants confronts us with objects possessing disarming humour, surprising appearances and intriguing, at times, mutant forms. Some objects have limbs or protrusions that you would not expect to see emerging from a pot or a piece of knitwear. Teapots with feet (Jill Crowley) or a glove with 25 fingers (Freddie Robins) are difficult to ignore!
Can Collage by Gillian Lowndes
To accompany your visit to the exhibition the Crafts Council commissioned artist and writer The Lonely Piper to interpret these objects in a unique and surprising way. The Lonely Piper is based in Dundee, Scotland and teaches at Duncan of Jordanstone School of Art.
Other shows this season:
Until 27th April 2008
Mechanical Drawing: the Schiffli Project
Mechanical Drawing – the Schiffli Project is a touring exhibition from Manchester Metropolitan University to document and explore textile practice and creative process through the responses of a range of practitioners to the historic Schiffli machine.
Detail of the Schiffli machine
3 May - 8 June
Automake and Future Factories
Digital design futures
Automake and FutureFactories explores the significant role of digital design in the creation of contemporary craft and design. It showcases the processes as well as the results in works from small-scale jewellery through to architectural pieces.
Automake presents the work of Justin Marshall, a craftsperson/maker whose research investigates the integration of a range of digital technologies into ‘traditional’ art and craft practices, leading to the creation of innovative new work.
Puja by Lionel Dean
FutureFactories presents the work of Lionel Theodore Dean, who has acted as a consultant to the transport and interior products industry for twenty years. His research is based around the use of rapid prototyping for the mass individualisation of products.
Random bowl by Justin Marshall
The exhibition is part-sponsored by 3D Systems and EOS.
More about Justin Marshall>
More about Lionel Dean>
14 June - 20 July
Waste not Want it
Recycling waste
A showcase for innovative and eco-friendly design products including jewellery, furniture, lighting and textiles.
Waste Not, Want It! will include designs from sixteen designer-makers in the East Midlands who use materials, processes and resources that are environmentally sustainable, either in their production or implementation.
Ebb and Flow by Laura Ellen Bacon
Many of the exhibits invite visitors to become more eco-conscious consumers by challenging today’s throwaway culture. Waste Not, Want It! Also aims to enliven debates around sustainability.
Organised in collaboration with Design Factory.
Window Space
Present show:
19 June - 1 Sept
Sam Murat: 3 Rosy Sheep
‘Fun seating with a serious cause’ thought Sam Murat, a recently graduated designer maker from Exeter, when considering new furniture designs
Over the last few years sheepskin use had been in decline. The high quality hasn’t changed but fashion has. Sam has designed simple forms — generously padded
seats formed over a seat base and legs made from oak.
The collection includes stools of varying heights and one built on rockers.
Other shows this season:
11 April - 15 June
Hector Serrano Design products
Héctor Serrano has created a collection of ‘Reduced Carbon Footprint Souvenirs’. These objects are virtual souvenirs that can be sent to friends or family via email, and then materialize using a 3D printer – saving on transport and printing and so minimising your ‘travelling’ carbon footprint. The project questions the way that souvenirs are manufactured and how new technologies propose alternative ways of reducing their environmental impact, such as rapid prototyping.
Hector Serrano souvenirs
Serrano is the design office established by Héctor Serrano in London in 2000. Its projects combine innovation with the communication of familiar ideas in unusual and inventive ways. The studio’s client list includes Droog Design, Metalarte, La Casa Encendida (Caja Madrid) and Valencia City Council.Their products have been exhibited extensively in Museums such as the V&A in London and Cooper-Hewit National Design Museum in New York. More at
This project was sponsored by 3D Systems.
Hub exhibitions are staggered so there is almost always a show to see.
Some exhibitions are supported by a dedicated web page - see the menu above.
The Hub has an open photography policy providing the images are for reference and not for profit. Some shows may be excluded from this. Many installation shots can be found at Flickr.
All our exhibitions are suitable for school workshops and visits. More information under learning.
In the shop area:
2-11 May
Sleaford and District Photographic Society's annual exhibition, to coincide with Sleaford Live.
