Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Ruth Battersby Tooke and I work for Norfolk Museums Service as Senior Curator of Costume and Textiles. I look after the stored collection of over 30,000 examples of dress and textiles, paper archives and a specialist library. The costume and textile objects are part of Norwich’s social history collections and were originally part of the domestic life collections of Strangers’ Hall. Objects from the collection are on display in both the Museum of Norwich and the Arts of Living Gallery in Norwich Castle.
The collections can tell so many wonderful stories and are often displayed in exhibitions at Norwich Castle Museum such as the current show, The Singh Twins: Slaves of Fashion. Part of my job is to work with other curators to select objects for display in exhibitions, in this case it was The Singh Twins who chose textiles and dress from the collections to add context to their contemporary artworks.
Let us into a behind the scenes of your new exhibition at the Norwich Castle Museum
Slaves of Fashion is a visually stunning collection of contemporary artworks by internationally renowned artists The Singh Twins, shown alongside historical artefacts from Norfolk Museums’ collections. The Singh Twins use traditional Indian miniature painting allied with digital techniques to create highly detailed contemporary artworks which reveal layered histories of textiles that were originally manufactured in India such as muslin, Kashmir shawls and chintz. Several of the works are presented as prints onto fabric which are shown on lightboxes giving them a dramatic presence and encouraging the viewer to focus on all the details in the images.
The works explore the hidden narratives of Empire, Colonialism, conflict and slavery through the lens of India’s historical textile trade and its relevance to modern day legacies and debates around ethical consumerism, racism and the politics of trade.
What are some of your favourite aspects of the exhibition?
The artworks are so rich and multi-layered, I am quite familiar with them but every time I look at them in the gallery I always see a new detail that I hadn’t seen before. The pieces work on so many levels, there is the fascinating history of our relationship with textiles as objects of beauty and desire but also as commercial products and a part of the machinery of capitalism and imperialism. And these ideas are far from being just historical, and The Twins’ research and abilities as visual storytellers show how contemporary unsustainable production methods and unsafe, exploitative conditions for garment workers persist
in contemporary society.
This is such an important message, as The Twins have themselves said “If you care about the environment and you care about human rights, then you should really care about what you put in your shopping basket too…”
Working with historic collections I am always looking for ways to build connections between the collections and contemporary society and issues. There is an urgent need, highlighted in The Twin’s artwork, to make more sustainable choices. Shows like Slaves of Fashion shine a light on learning from the past in order to become part of a solution and become conscious of not adding more waste and avoiding the funding of unethical employment practices.
Where is your favourite place to visit in Norfolk and why?
There are so many places I love in Norfolk - Sheringham for the beach and cliff-top walks, Mousehold Heath and Thetford Forest for woods. I grew up in Yarmouth and have a fondness for the walk along Breydon Water to Burgh Castle. One of my early jobs was the development of Time and Tide Museum which really changed the way I looked at the architecture of the town such as the Rows, the quayside and South Denes. My favourite recent walks have been in the Broads around Ranworth, my son is really interested in natural history and is always spotting interesting and unusual insects and plants which really changes the pace and focus of a walk to slow down and look closely which makes everywhere special.
How can people find you?
The Singh Twins: Slaves of Fashion is on at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Galleries and at East Gallery until 22 January 2023.
Find out more online at museums.norfolk.gov.uk/norwich-castle or on Instagram @norwichcastle