The Red Dress

To Swansea to see The Red Dress, currently at the National Waterfront Museum there. 

"During 12 years, from 2009 to 2022, pieces of the Red Dress have travelled the globe being continuously embroidered onto. Constructed out of 73 pieces of burgundy silk dupion, the garment has been worked on by 259 women and 5 men, from 29 countries, with all 136 commissioned artisans paid for their work. The rest of the embroidery was added by 128 willing participants /audience at various groups/exhibitions/events.

Embroiderers include women refugees from Palestine; victims of war in Kosovo, Rwanda, and DR Congo; impoverished women in South Africa, Mexico, and Egypt; women in Kenya, Japan, Paris, Sweden, Peru, Czech Republic, Dubai, Afghanistan, Australia, Argentina, Switzerland, Canada, Tobago, USA, Russia, Pakistan, Wales, Colombia, and the UK, as well as upmarket embroidery studios in India and Saudi Arabia."



It's a truly magnificent work of art and craft, and I added several extras (which I'll probably remove eventually) to show some of the details. The dress is not the easiest object to photograph, or even to see as closely as one would wish, especially at the back, in spite of the mirrors. It would be better displayed on a circular podium rather than in this sort of cubicle. Perhaps other museums have done it better. The Red Dress will be moving to London next month until August, then on around the world.

It seemed right for the dress to be displayed at Swansea's old harbour, now a place of pleasure and relaxation with a large marina, pubs and restaurants but once a busy working dockland full of ships and sailors from all around the world.