“There’s something very special about looking into where you come from and what surrounds you,” says Sydney artist Bruce Slorach. “It is incredibly easy to take for granted, but when you look at it and put a microscope on it, Australia’s flora and fauna would have to be the most beautiful nature in the world.”
With a 40-year career, Slorach has continuously drawn attention to the wonder of Australian nature. Under the banner of Utopia Goods Textiles, whereby Slorach collaborates with his partner Sophie Tatlow, the pair have created textiles which reference various wildlife elements in line with contemporary design.
The creation of the textiles is a purposefully slow process, more in line with nature than fast-paced society. For instance, one of their recent works, Country Bunch, created through fine jacquard tapestry, has taken over 10 months from an initial sketch to a finished piece. And the weaving was completed at one of the oldest weaving mills in the United States.
Now, Slorach’s textiles, drawings and paintings, are currently showing at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf for Native Deities—and you can view these works in pictures.
Bruce Slorach, Lyrebird, 2023, Hand knotted wool and silk wall hanging, 120cm x 175cm (3). Photo, Katie Kaars. IImage courtesy Utopia Goods Textiles.
Bruce Slorach, Lyrebird, 2023, Hand knotted wool and silk wall hanging, 120cm x 175cm (1). Photo, Katie Kaars. IImage courtesy Utopia Goods Textiles.
Bruce Slorach, Kookaburra with Snake, 2023, Gouache on paper, 45cm x 62cm. Image courtesy Utopia Goods.
Bruce Slorach, Kookaburra with Snake, 2023, Hand knotted wool and silk wall hanging, 120cm x 175cm (2). Photo, Katie Kaars. Image courtesy Utopia Goods Textiles.
Bruce Slorach, Kookaburra with Snake, 2023, Hand knotted wool and silk wall hanging, 120cm x 175cm (Detail 2). Photo, Katie Kaars. Image courtesy Utopia Goods Textiles.
Native Deities
Bruce Slorach
Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf
3 May – 28 May 2023
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