These artefacts are a site-specific investigation of the Old Weaving Shed (now demolished) at Sunnybank Mills, West Yorkshire (2014-2019). In embracing the space at Sunnybank Mills, Lane has used it as an opportunity for experimental re- interpretation, re-contextualisation and re-imagination.
Research process: The artefacts explore the intersection between contemporary textile practice and the transient nature of derelict buildings and machines of the industrial north. Derelict buildings are deconstructed spaces in a state of entropic transformation and open to many interpretations. Through site specific reactivation of both space and artefacts, processes of making, un-making and re-making are explored. Lane casts, repaints and wraps remnant machine parts to re-engage the audience with the post-industrial form, questioning the object. Research insights:
Exploring the post-industrial landscape, engaging directly with remnant objects, provides insight into the materiality of the space and what it contains. Making casts from found objects, re-positioning materials, weight, and wrapping a structure within the space engaged touch, repetition, time and reformed shape. This in turn has directed research towards newer questions of “what is?” “what exists?” and even “Is time a thing?” The latter expands on ideas of decay and entropy, not of time “taking its toll” but of simply one object or space moving to being another object or space (Rovelli, 2015). The object can be used by the audience to engage conversation and explore new narratives. Dissemination: The output was disseminated as follows: • By exhibition: ‘Make, Un-make, Re-make’, Sunnybank Mills, West Yorkshire (2017). • Through a conference paper: ‘Re-making the Derelict’, Textile and Place Conference at Manchester Metropolitan University, 2018. • Through conference proceedings: Soft pictures – Re-making the Hattersley, Futurescan 4: Valuing Practice, 2019