The Great Exhibition 2008, a new exhibition exploring Victoriana from contemporary viewpoints by Frayed Edges, opens in Edinburgh in January.
 
Working with Jeanette Sendler as guest artist and curator, Frayed Edges, a group of ten textile artists from Edinburgh, have investigated a wide range of themes and ideas related to the Victorian era using felt and other textile techniques.

Each artist has followed her personal interest, resulting in pieces as diverse as Murderous millinery, a blackly surreal look at the macabre craze for trimming ladies’ hats with whole stuffed birds; Sun print garden, a celebration of the work of pioneering botanical photographer Anna Atkins; Forget me not, which looks at the ritual and ceremonies surrounding death; Time travel, an investigation into what can be achieved in a unit of time; and A forest of fan’ which considers the impact of Victorian inventions and technological developments on our planet.

The members of Frayed Edge are Nathalie Cortada, Sally Cross, Saskia Gavin, Charlotte Haines, Jenny Haslam, Philippa Johnston, Jennie Loudon, Cathy Stobo, Eleanor Symms and Mary Walters.  

The Great Exhibition runs from 26 January to 6 February 2008 at the Patriothall Gallery @ WASPS Studios, 1D, Patriothall, off Hamilton Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 5AY www.patriothallgallery.co.uk Open Tuesday to Friday 12 noon to 2pm and 4 to 7pm and Saturday to Sunday 11am to 6pm. Admission Free.