Name/TitleArtwork: As Long As We Make It
About this objectWoollen plait created by Hannah Harkes for her Weemin's Wark exhibition, As Long As We Make It. The plait was displayed extended from Gaada's flagpole. Visitors were invited to 'lend their own hands to the work and take part in the simple joy of making something really, really long together.'
The woollen plait is woven from knitted yarn and dyed using pigments found in plants, following methods used by the Vikings. This object honours tradition and pays tribute to ancient craftwork and labour. The materials used reflect relationships people forged long ago, with livestock and land, relations that, in Shetland, have traditionally been dominated by women exercising economic agency. In response to the work of activists in Shetland today, the long plait recollects a peaceful demonstration that occurred in 1989, across the Baltic States. Spanning 419.7 miles and three countries, a human chain was formed when approximately two million people joined their hands together in solidarity. Hannah's exhibition considered strength and determination, as well as softness and flexibility, yet most of all it was a celebration.
MakerHarkes, Hannah
Maker RoleArtist
Portfolio TitleAs Long As We Make It
Date Made2020
Period2020s
Medium and MaterialsOrganic, yarn
Place MadeEstonia and Shetland
Subject and Association KeywordsCraftivism
Subject and Association Keywordswomen's work & labour
Subject and Association DescriptionWeemin's Wark was a dynamic programme of community workshops, cultural research, artist exhibitions, and publishing activities which took place between January 2020 – July 2021. It was developed by Gaada with support from Up Helly Aa for Aa, Glasgow Women’s Library and Creative Scotland. The project worked to increase the visibility of women’s contribution to contemporary island culture. Weemin’s Wark provided a safe space in which to examine notions of labour for Women and allies who challenge structures of social and institutional inequality.
Hannah Harkes is an artist who combines pictorial media, such as printmaking, painting, or drawing, with installation, performance, and event. The themes addressed by the artist can vary greatly, as she tends to create each new work in direct response to a specific exhibition space or performative context. Most recently she has focused on creating playful and celebratory environments in which to confront emotionally challenging topics, such as ageing, alienation, objectification, destructive behaviour, and death. In addition to her solo projects, Hannah often works collaboratively with other artists, performers, and musicians. She completed a BA Hons in Fine Art Printmaking from Gray's School of Art in 2011, and later graduated with an MA in Death, Religion and Culture from the University of Winchester in 2019. Hannah is based in Estonia, where she shares her time between a letterpress workshop called Labora, in the capital city of Tallinn, and her rural studio in the forest.
https://www.gaada.org/weemins-wark
https://womenslibrary.org.uk/exhibition/weemins-wark
Named CollectionGlasgow Women's Library
Object TypeArtwork
Object numberGWL-2021-30-1
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved