Soft power: the contemporary allure of fibre art

Fibre art is having a moment, and not just at the British Museum, where queues to catch a glimpse of the Bayeux Tapestry have become almost as legendary as the 70-metre embroidery itself. Tapestries and textile art are seeing a resurgence in interiors for the counterbalance they offer the hard surfaces and cool materials often associated with contemporary design.

‘Stone, plaster and glass can sometimes feel stark, both visually and acoustically,’ says Venetia Rudebeck, cofounder of design practice Studio Vero. Tapestries, she says, soften a room in the most practical sense, by introducing warmth, texture and depth. So in which rooms do they work best? How do they stack up, cost-wise, against paintings and prints? And do they require special care to stand the test of time?

‘There’s a growing interest in more tactile art forms like tapestries right now,’ says designer Christian Bense. He recently commissioned a bespoke mohair tapestry by South African artist Francis VH, spanning more than two-and-a-half metres, for a living space at the deco-inspired residential development 60 Curzon in Mayfair. ‘The medium sits comfortably in both traditional and contemporary interior schemes and really helps add to the layering of a space,’ he says. ‘It works particularly well in large, open-plan rooms with expansive wall spaces and generous ceiling heights.’

Bense recommends displaying tapestries on neutral or muted background walls and says that while you can go big, as he has in Mayfair, there are subtler ways to introduce a textile work. ‘In a country-house project, we had [textile artist] Jo leGleud hand-embroider wildflowers directly onto curtains and upholstery,’ he says. ‘In the grand scheme of the room the details are easily missed, but there is something so special about the bespoke nature of the work.’

Desire is mounting for authentic, organic pieces in our homes. And for those seeking one-of-a-kind art, textiles are a good place to start because no two pieces are ever quite the same. ‘They offer something that resonates with our desire for genuine handmade objects in today’s digital world,’ adds Bense.

Tapestries have not always been this popular, says Stephanie Crosland-Goss, a former Tate curator who founded the art subscription service Interrupted Art and art-advisory practice Goss and Husband. ‘Since the landmark exhibition of Anni Albers at Tate in 2018, textile art has been finally and rightfully reclassified as fine art rather than “women’s craft”.’

These pieces can still make financial sense, too. ‘Not only can textile art be incredibly beautiful, but more cost effective than a large canvas to dress a large space,’ says Crosland-Goss. ‘Prices for textile art haven’t caught up with other mediums like acrylic and oil but will do in the future. So, the time to invest is now.’

To ensure textile artworks have longevity, both designers warn against putting them in direct sunlight. You can, says Crosland-Goss, put UV glass over the top but this isn’t something she would professionally recommend. Best to find a safe, suitable spot and leave the piece uncovered.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, woven textiles can also shape the atmosphere and dampen noise pollution in a space, as fabric and fibres absorb sound and light. At the restaurant Wild By Tart, this has proven to be a game changer. ‘Textiles bring a wonderful warmth and softness to our otherwise industrial space, with its concrete and glass, and help soften the noise levels too,’ says Lucy Carr-Ellison, who founded the restaurant with her business partner Jemima Jones. For their latest creative outing, they collaborated with designers India Holmes and Bella Valenzia of Pelican House on an exhibition of handwoven jute tapestries called Wild Things, installed throughout the restaurant. ‘Our Pelican House woven artworks hang beside the private dining area and above the bar, bringing beauty, character and a lovely sense of surprise for our guests,’ says Carr-Ellison.

Pelican House co-creates each piece with artisans in Northern India, so every work carries its maker's story and ancestral knowledge, giving their environment an extra layer of meaning. ‘Pieces can also be designed for a specific space, drawing the room together around a single narrative,’ says Valenzia. ‘This gives a room colour, texture and a sense of craft that a framed print can't match.’

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