The British Council presents On the Line: New perspectives on craft in Southeast Asia, an exhibition exploring craft through the practices of women in Southeast Asia, opening to coincide with London Craft Week 2017, at The Aram Gallery. 

On the Line seeks to question the sustainability of craft in Southeast Asia in the context of increasing globalisation, and offers a range of insights into the lives and cultures of women working in this sector today.

Curated by Martina Margetts, Senior Tutor in Critical & Historical Studies at the Royal College of Art, and designed by the London-based practice Mentsen, the exhibition features impressions and unique materials collected by Royal College of Art students and local researchers during recent residencies in Southeast Asia. Structured around three themes – craftsmanship, community and commerce – the exhibition highlights the current state of craft practice in these three countries through the eyes of the researchers.

The research residencies took place in December 2016, when twelve participants - six students from the Royal College of Art, who were paired with six local researchers and practitioners - explored the artistic practices and social conditions of craftswomen in Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam, over the course of two weeks.

The exhibition presents the perspectives of the twelve researchers through collected textiles, everyday objects, raw materials and samples, along with writing, photography and film. 

The exhibition guide can be viewed here.

Watch a film commissioned for the exhibition here. 

Visiting information

Free admission
4 May – 17 June
Mon-Sat 10:00am-6:00pm, Thurs 10:00am-7:00pm, Sun closed

The Aram Gallery
110 Drury Lane
Covent Garden
London
WC2B 5SG

As part of London Craft Week 2017, the exhibition will also be accompanied by Material World, a panel discussion exploring materiality in contemporary craft, find out more here. 

This exhibition is part of the British Council’s work in Culture and Development, exploring creative responses to the social and economic needs in developing countries.