Exhibition explores the links with linen

FREE PICTURE: Our Linen Stories Art and Heritage Exhibition, Leith, Edinburgh, 04/05/2018:
Â¬SOur Linen Stories Exhibition Prompts Scotland to Rekindle itsÂ¬" Lost Love of the WorldÂ¬"s Oldest Textile.
Leading designers and artists explore the story of flax and linen Â¬ from powering the Industrial Revolution to providing a sustainable future
Art, design and history have been interwoven to create a fascinating new exhibition that aims to rekindle ScotlandÂ¬"s ancient love of linen.
Our Linen Stories, which is accompanied by talks and other activities, will be launched at the Custom Lane venue in Leith, Edinburgh, on Saturday 5th May (2018) and will later tour Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands.
It celebrates the role the cloth, and the flax from which itÂ¬"s made, has played in the past Â¬ telling tales of weavers and workers, of migrant skills, and of trade routes and industrial might.
And shows what is being done with these amazing materials today and how they can help us build a susta — FREE PICTURE: Our Linen Stories Art and Heritage Exhibition, Leith, Edinburgh, 04/05/2018: Â¬SOur Linen Stories Exhibition Prompts Scotland to Rekindle itsÂ¬" Lost Love of the WorldÂ¬"s Oldest Textile. Leading designers and artists explore the story of flax and linen Â¬ from powering the Industrial Revolution to providing a sustainable future Art, design and history have been interwoven to create a fascinating new exhibition that aims to rekindle ScotlandÂ¬"s ancient love of linen. Our Linen Stories, which is accompanied by talks and other activities, will be launched at the Custom Lane venue in Leith, Edinburgh, on Saturday 5th May (2018) and will later tour Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands. It celebrates the role the cloth, and the flax from which itÂ¬"s made, has played in the past Â¬ telling tales of weavers and workers, of migrant skills, and of trade routes and industrial might. And shows what is being done with these amazing materials today and how they can help us build a susta

‘Our Linen Stories’ explores stories of past, present and future journeys in design and in keeping with the Cathedral setting, there is special focus on the relationship of linen with religious faiths and the traditional ceremonies around birth, death and marriage.

Amongst an intriguing array of design talent on display in Lisburn, the exhibition will showcase work by Duncan Neil of William Clarks in Maghera, Sinead Black of Bricolage in Hollywood and Gerd Hay-Edie for Mourne Textiles in Rostrevor.

The exhibition organiser, Dr John Ennis, grew up in Lisburn and left to train and work in medicine in Edinburgh. In the last five years John has pursued a passion for design, collaborating in a variety of projects linking well-being and creative industry.

“We are giving people the chance to see work by a dozen contemporary designers who use linen or flax fibre to create textiles, furniture and sports gear,” he explained,

A special reception will be held on Saturday October 6 at 2.300pm to celebrate the exhibition. Everyone is welcome and the reception will include music by Claire McNicol who will perform ‘Weaving Songs’.

Our Linen Stories has received industry sponsorship from Lisburn’s own Creative Composites who additionally supported early research work of Professor Jane McCann and others who contribute to the Materials Innovation and Sustainability part of the exhibition at the Catherdral.