Christine Wiltshier

Artist, Christine Wiltshier, works with the traditional rule based conventions of hand knitting as a methodology through which to consider the generative potential of unintentionally made mistakes. When mistakes are made whilst following a simple knitting pattern, alternative materials are included into the knitting process. These randomly occurring interventions interrupt the planned knitting instructions, altering the expected outcome and the (useful) function of the original form.

Nylon fishing line was introduced with each mistake made in the artwork Tangled, not unravelling mistakes (nylon), where the combination of flexible cotton and less flexible nylon line resulted in a complete loss of original pattern. A tangled combination of threads making the completion of the knitting instructions impossible without introducing an unravelling process.

Christine is a cross-disciplinary artist, working with a range of media including textiles, prose poetry, photography, sound and video. In her experimental studio work she explores the contemporary art possibilities within traditional hand made textile techniques, with a focus on the processes of making, unmaking and remaking, which are inherent across many forms of textile crafts. She is also currently a Master of Fine Arts research candidate at UNSW Art & Design, Sydney.

Image: Christine Wiltshier, Tangled, not unravelling mistakes (nylon), 2018, COTA
Materials: cotton thread, nylon line, bamboo needles, perspex