We're thrilled to introduce Vita Cochran as our Creative in Residence for 2024. Vita, an artist hailing from Aotearoa and now calling Gadigal land home, brings a wealth of creativity and passion to our space.
Vita will weave enchantment into the fabric of our library, quite literally. Using her renowned hand embroidery skills, Vita will camouflage lifelike moths throughout our space, directly onto the upholstered furniture, and in other nooks and crannies, inviting visitors to explore and discover the beauty in the unexpected. The project will celebrate the wonder and intricacy of these quiet, mysterious and vulnerable creatures – moths.
Vita Cochran combines traditional textile techniques with contemporary forms to engage with the history of domestic crafts and the intersection of decorative art and abstraction. Exhibiting a series of hand-hooked rag rugs titled 'After Paintings' in 2020, Vita reimagined rugs from modernist paintings by hand. She also creates large-scale abstractions from unpicked garment pieces, drawing on the 'wagga' tradition and abstract painting. Known for her hand embroidery skills, Vita exhibited a suite of samplers in 2018, reimagining the tradition as if reworked by twentieth-century women avant-garde artists. Vita also loves to make unique and useful objects and has a bag-making practice spanning two decades.
Beyond ‘eclipsing’ our spaces, Vita is dedicated to engaging with our community. She'll be on-site, sharing her creative process and inviting students to explore their curiosity through hands-on activities and the art of embroidery. Join us on this journey as we delve into Vita's world of art, nature, and curiosity. Stay tuned for updates and be part of the transformative experience!
The artist will be on-site at UTS Library, (most) Mondays and Thursdays from the 8th of April – 10th October 10 am-4 pm.
