It’s time to reassess the significance of our waste. Once prized commodities ripe for resale, our discarded materials held immense potential. From gathering rag to spinning yarn, the artistry of repurposing was abundant. This Manifesto offers a fresh perspective on the age-old practice of rag rug making, tailored for our era of the Anthropocene. Through projects crafted both solo in the artist’s studio and collaboratively with community groups, it champions a respect for our forgotten textiles. It serves as a response to the environmental toll of fast fashion, asserting that rag is a valuable resource unjustly stigmatized.
In the Rag Manifesto, Rachael Matthews encourages us to liberate ourselves from old fabrics by providing a framework for decision-making. Whether a garment is 'Worn Out Emotional' or 'Brand New and Guilty,' it offers guidance on making empowering choices about their disposal. Furthermore, it emphasizes how our actions can foster community bonds and bolster self-esteem.
A contemporary take on rag weaving: In the 1920s, European modernist painters like Ben and Winifred Nicholson delved into rag rug making. Influenced by Picasso's embrace of creativity and found materials, they recognized the skill in what was often dismissed as 'primitive' art. Regrettably, the art world failed to acknowledge these painterly rag works as true art, resulting in the loss of many.
A century later, amid the aftermath of a pandemic, the urge for communal textile creation was reignited by a shared concern for textile waste littering our streets. This prompted the artist to establish Rag School, an online platform aimed at rediscovering traditional crafting methods. This initiative eventually evolved into a physical rag studio in collaboration with East London Textiles Arts, offering diverse communities a chance to relearn the art of transforming textile waste into beauty while fostering mutual care and support. This process of waste transformation has proven invaluable in healing the collective trauma of the pandemic, with ripping becoming thrilling, storytelling cathartic, and craftwork a sanctuary for focus and reflection.
Recognizing the economic value of rag: Textile production ranks as the second-largest contributor to climate change and environmental degradation. The psychological toll of fast fashion has obscured our ability to recognize the potential in discarded materials. While the popularity of crafts like patchwork and dressmaking has heightened awareness of sustainable materials, we often overlook more problematic fabrics. Certain synthetics may never biodegrade, while uncomfortable garments meet their premature demise. This manifesto dispels fears surrounding what to do with our rag pile, allowing cherished items to endure and despised ones to be reimagined in unexpected ways.
This manifesto also delves into various techniques, including plaiting, Welsh weaving sticks, peg looms, rigid heddle weaving, proddy on hessian, loomless weaving, and passementerie.