C is for Corruption: The ABCs of Tory Rule

Growing up in the North East of England, I have lived around the effects of austerity and conservatism- such as budget cuts, slow destruction of the NHS, and general ignorance of how most people live- of which my parents have demonstrated against for years. I have inherited this frustration and as a textile designer in a world that feels like its falling apart, I feel like my work needs to fight against the forces that are working to destroy the creative industries. This project serves as an act of protest, self-expression, and hopefully a conversation starter too. 

I use the innocence of children's books and bright colours to contrast the harsh message. It also conveys my frustration of feeling as though I will never want to bring children into the world due to the guilt of them having to live through the consequences of Tory rule. The ABC book contains words I associate with the party as well as some more hopeful ideas, while the knitted squares convey these words in a more conceptual way. 

As well as having a political message, this project also has sustainable values. I use wool yarns in my knitting, in the hope that one day this message will not be needed and so could be buried and will biodegrade and help feed the soil to raise the next generation of revolutionaries.