Tea Towel Exhibition Has Audiences in a Spin

Spin Cycle is an installation by three artists - Jean Astbury, Naomie Hatherly and Helen Seiver – collectively known as Virginia Cunningham.

City of Melville Curator Soula Veyradier said the exhibition was a contemporary story which delved into the past.

“Spin Cycle explores the relationship people have with the humble tea towel. This tongue-in-cheek approach to a widespread cultural artefact will amuse visitors and cause them to reflect on the nature of domestic work,” Ms Veyradier said.

Exhibition Artist Helen Seiver said the exhibition had an underlying country theme because each artist was based in regional Western Australia and the souvenir tea towels were also from country towns.

“The magic of the tea towel is that it’s used for so many things other than drying dishes – people collect them as souvenirs and gifts so they have many different meanings and  connections for people,” Ms Seiver said.

“Spin Cycle examines the production and use of the tea towel as a reflection of false values, like culture over culture, stamped on a tea towel, normalised and overlooked. It is examined as a metaphor and symbol of culture, society and the individual.

“The origins of tea and ‘tea time’ rituals indeed come into question as loaded meanings inherent in the tea towel itself.  The tea towel is a signifier of our colonial past and an icon of colonial conquest.

“The exhibition reminds us to look closely at those things we take for granted, such as the endless ‘groundhog day’ of daily rituals that give meaning but in themselves are meaningless.”

Spin Cycle will be opened by Artist and Lecturer Louise Morrison on Friday, 20 January 2012 at 6.00pm. RSVP to the opening by Wednesday, 18 January 2012 to claire.bushby@melville.wa.gov.au or phone 9364 5666.

The City of Melville’s Heathcote Museum and Gallery is located at Swan House, Duncraig Road in Applecross. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday 10.00am to 3.00pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 noon to 4.00pm. The exhibition runs from 21 January to 26 February 2012.

For further information contact 1300 635 845 or visit www.melvillecity.com.au/heathcote