Loom with a view

MENTION THE WORD 'tapestry' and, for many people, medieval crafting techniques probably come to mind. But an artistic collaboration between international artists and weavers at the Victorian Tapestry Workshop in Melbourne is proving that the art form remains vibrant, with old techniques bringing contemporary images to life.

The Art of Collaboration: Masterpiece of Modern Tapestry from the Victorian Tapestry Workshop - an exhibition at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI) - presents a selection of the best in tapestry weaving, ranging from the abstracts of Patrick Heron to the surrealistic work of Geoff Ricardo or Arlene TextaQueen's figurative weaving.

The weaving of images has been a feature of many cultures through the ages. For instance, ancient Egyptians and the Incas in Peru buried their dead in woven cloth, while in ancient Greece, walls of important civic buildings were covered with tapestries.

'Very often, tapestries carried a powerful, highly symbolic message or significance,' says Kate Derum, studio manager of the Victorian Tapestry Workshop.

In medieval times, tapestries were status symbols among the aristocracy, providing insulation for castle walls and privacy around four-poster beds. Flanders, especially Brussels and Bruges, was the main production centre, with famed works such as The Lady with a Unicorn created there. Tapestry was then a narrative with isolated figures or compact groups standing out against an embellished background of plant motifs or flowers (the mille fleurs or thousand flowers tapestries). Yet, with the Renaissance, the art of tapestry became less about the creation of an original work and more about the imitation of master paintings or close copying of cartoons by renowned painters. Today, a few tapestry workshops around the world have returned to the essence of tapestry making. Among them the Victoria Tapestry Workshop produces original work created in a close collaboration between painter and weavers.

'The weaver doesn't just copy the drawing,' says Merrin Eirth, who collaborated with the workshop on Black Tomato's Fleshy Heart. 'He or she interprets it and adapts it for the loom.'