A decade-long journey of creativity, literature, and archival discovery will be unveiled at The Hive in Worcester, as textile artist Dr Lucie Bea Dutton presents a lecture and exhibition, inspired by Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy.
Dr Dutton has spent more than a decade transforming Mantel’s storytelling, and Thomas Cromwell’s surviving historical documents, into a remarkable body of textile artworks ranging from intimate stitched letters to a sweeping 46-foot piece which she created during the pandemic.
Stitching the World: Within and Without. Hilary Mantell’s Cromwell Trilogy, is a free event which takes place on Wednesday 4 March, 16.30-18.00.
In her talk, Dr Dutton will share how her practice has evolved from working in strict, self-imposed constraints to exploring the archives, landscapes and material world of Tudor England.
“This lecture is an opportunity to share a long-term stitching project I’ve been working on since 2014, inspired by Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy,” said Dr Dutton. “I’ll be talking about my creative process and showing a range of work, from early pieces made during the Pandemic to more recent work that draws on archival-based research.”
The talk is part of the University of Worcester’s Engine Room lecture series, which brings experts in their fields to Worcester to discuss cutting-edge ideas and encourage people to explore new ways of thinking.
Dr Dutton said: “I’m really interested in how a creative project can evolve. I began with strict rules and a very constrained way of working, and over time the whole project opened out. That’s something I’m excited to explore in the lecture.”
“The talk will appeal to anyone interested in textiles, archives, or material culture,” said Dr Dutton. “Readers and historians often respond strongly to this work, and so do people who enjoy seeing how literature can spark a creative practice.”
The accompanying exhibition will be an opportunity for people to explore Dr Dutton’s artworks. She said: “I’ll be showing a wide range of pieces; portraits of the queens Cromwell knew, representations of the Thames, stitched versions of the letters he received, and a large textile based on a list of fabrics in Cromwell’s handwriting, scrawled in 1528 in relation to a legal case.”
The talk will be of interest to those familiar with Mantel’s trilogy, and those who haven’t read it.
“It’s for anyone who is interested in textiles, archives, or material culture,” said Dr Dutton. “Readers and historians often respond strongly to this work, and so do people who enjoy seeing how literature can spark a creative practice.”
Dr Lucy Arnold, Course Leader for English Literature at the University of Worcester, is the organiser of The Engine Room lecture series.
She said: “I’m delighted that Dr Dutton has given us this opportunity to engage with her unique and poignant works, which offer a completely different take on the work of one of Britain’s most acclaimed writers.”
Dr Arnold added: “Dr Dutton’s attention to textual and textile detail is certain to open up these rich, compelling and in many ways groundbreaking texts to all kinds of new audiences.”
Dr Lucie Bea Dutton’s talk, Stitching the World: Within and Without. Hilary Mantell’s Cromwell Trilogy, is a free talk, and tickets can be booked on the Hive’s website.
The accompanying exhibition launches on 2 March at The Hive and closes on 6 March.
For information on courses at University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries telephone 01905 855111 or email [email protected]