Material Worlds: Contemporary Artists and Textiles
Friday 19 September 2025 to Sunday 11 January 2026, The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum, Cheltenham
Top left: Marc Camille Chaimowicz, Dual, 2006–07; Malevolent Coat Hook, 2005; Cluny, 2006 © Cabinet Gallery, London and Marc Camille Chaimowicz Studio. Installation view, Material Worlds_ Contemporary Artists
Top right: BALD 181 The horse is mirror to your soul
Bottom left: Caroline Achaintre, ‘HEL’, 2023, Photography © Ros Kavanagh
Bottom right: BALD 216 The Caretakers (Ceremonial Costumes I’m still Learning)
The critically-acclaimed ‘Material Worlds: Contemporary Artists and Textiles’ exhibition, which demonstrates how familiar, everyday materials can be transformed into unexpected, radical and bold art, will be on display at one of the Cotswolds’ most esteemed galleries, The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire from 19 September 2025 – 11 January 2026 as part of a lauded national tour.
‘Material Worlds’ brings together 12 talented UK artists who share a deep awareness of the cultural and environmental significance of textiles and have creatively transformed ordinary, everyday materials into the extraordinary, exploring ideas of the body, identity, gender, race, heritage, myth, folklore and the environment through their work.
One of many thought-provoking pieces within the exhibition, the work by the artist Hendrickje Schimmel (a.k.a Tenant of Culture) uses ripped apart shoes to create compelling sculptures from ‘pre-consumer waste’ – shoes that were manufactured but never made it on to the feet of consumers before being cast aside as waste – thereby creatively repurposing environmental excess into something intriguing and unique.
‘Material Worlds’ also features work by the artists Jonathan Baldock, Marc Camille Chaimowicz, Alexandre Da Cunha, Tonico Lemos Auad, Paul Maheke, Anna Perach, Yelena Popova, Yinka Shonibare, Rae-Yen Song, Zadie Xa and Caroline Achaintre, who curated the exhibition for Hayward Gallery Touring, and who is known for her large-scale, hand-tufted textile pieces.
Layla Gatens, Senior Curator Art and Exhibitions at The Wilson, commented:
“The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum is thrilled to present ‘Material Worlds’ as part of our diverse exhibitions programme, which seeks to bring local, national and international artists into dialogue with our collection, which includes a nationally significant Arts and Crafts Movement collection; items relating to Cheltenham-born Dr Edward Wilson’s part in Captain Scott’s expeditions to the Antarctic; fine art, including the founding gift of Dutch and Belgian paintings from the Baron De Ferrieres; and a wealth of objects relating to Cheltenham’s fascinating history.
The Wilson works collaboratively with artists, partners and diverse communities to explore how the culture and history of the past helps us to understand the present and decide how, together, we shape the future. The ‘Material Worlds’ exhibition is a brilliant spark for stimulating such dialogue.
Textiles are crucial for offering insights into different cultures, technologies and artistic expressions. The artists in ‘Material Worlds’ explore the potential of the medium in new and exciting ways, whilst demonstrating its provocative and transformative potential.
We are excited to share this ambitious series of works with communities across Cheltenham and the surrounding region, and to engage creatively and encourage further discussion via our series of artist-led workshops for families and home educators, and curator-led exhibition tours.”
The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum will be running a series of complementary events and workshops based upon the themes of the Material Worlds exhibition:
| Cord-making: A participatory workshop with Helena Doyle Sunday 21 September, 10am – 1pm, free drop-in session suitable for all ages and abilities This interactive workshop, led by artist-in-residence, Helena Doyle, is inspired by the themes and materials of the exhibition. Helena will guide participants of all ages through the art of cord-making – a simple and tactile technique using twisting and winding. Once made, the cords can be taken home to keep or for use in future projects. |
| Weaving Stories Together: a free family drop-in activity Sunday 5 October, 11am – 2pm, free drop-in session suitable for all ages and abilities Step into the world of textiles with this free family-friendly drop-in activity inspired by the ‘Material Worlds’ exhibition. Using an array of colourful threads, wools and yarns, participants of all ages are invited to explore and create marks, patterns and symbols that hold personal meaning. These individual expressions will be added to a large communal paper canvas, gradually transforming it into a rich, layered tapestry of stories and textures – a living artwork shaped by everyone who takes part. |
| Material Futures Tuesday 28 October, 10am – 12pm, £8 per child Home-educator workshop on Tuesday 14 October, 10am – 12pm, £7 per child This fun and engaging workshop for parents and their children will explore how contemporary artists use textiles by having a go at expressing yourself with colourful fabrics, threads and materials. Book in advance at: https://wilsonmuseum.org.uk/event/material-futures/ |
| Material Worlds: Curator-Led Tour Wednesday 5 November, 4pm – 5pm, £8 Join The Wilson’s curator Layla Gatens for an exclusive tour of the ‘Material Worlds’ exhibition. Discover the stories woven into this vibrant exhibition and gain unique insight into the creative processes and cultural contexts behind each piece. Book in advance at: https://wilsonmuseum.org.uk/event/material-worlds-curator-led-tour/ |
 | ‘Material Worlds: Contemporary Artists and Textiles’ will be on display at The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire from 19 September 2025 – 11 January 2026 as part of a national tour. Admission is free of charge. Further info can be found at: https://wilsonmuseum.org.uk/exhibition/material-worlds/ |
