PROCESSIONS
A MARCH IN TIME
As women across Britain prepare for Processions in order to honour suffrage, the event showcases how symbolic a banner can be. Rachael Cloughton talks to NeedleWorks’ Clare Hunter about the past, present and future of handmade messages
O n 10th June, a huge procession and one of the largest public, participatory artworks Edinburgh has ever witnessed will mark the centenary of votes for women. The event is one of four taking place in all the UK capitals, has been commissioned by 14-18 NOW (the cultural programme commemorating the anniversary of WW1), and organised by Artichoke, the same folk that brought us spectacular light festival Lumiere and the much talked about London’s Burning.
The crowds for Processions will be made up of women and non- binary people, each wearing a violet, green or white scarf (symbolic of the colours of suffrage). The crowds will then be organised into these three colours as the procession commences, creating a sea of vibrant colour and forming a massive human banner when viewed from above. While on the ground, we should expect hundreds, if not thousands of handmade banners, each expressing the myriad experiences of being a woman today.
‘The event is a moving portrait of 21st century women,’ says Clare Hunter, community textile artist and founder of NeedleWorks, ‘so we want lots of people to take part and share their experiences.’ Hunter has been making banners since the 1980s and has compiled a comprehensive toolkit on processions.co.uk on how to make your own. ‘The toolkit is something that comes from the heart,’ explains Hunter. ‘You can use it to share your story or you can make a banner for someone else or a person you admire.’ The kit includes instructions on where to buy esoteric banner-making essentials (such as the poly tubing coupler you’ll need to connect your poles) and also features rousing quotes from artists and activists that have championed banner-making
38 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018