In this episode of NeedleXChange I interview Marcia Bennett Male.
Marcia is a textile artist and stone mason, whose stitched works explore her personal experiences as a black woman living in modern Britain, and focus on black historical figures. Marcia's work uses simplistic form and hidden meaning to address topics that are deeply personal, whether it's her own mental wellbeing or the cultural context of black identity. In this first part of our NeedleXChange we talk about her forthcoming show in Brixton, how Marcia's textile work came to be and how she uses symbolism in her work,
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
0:03:10 Marcia's forthcoming show at the Brixton Library in October 2024
00:05:25 Exploring Themes of Mental Health and Women's History
00:31:33 Embracing Identity and Finding Peace as an Artist
00:35:29 From Painting to Textile Art
00:38:23 Exploring Identity and Society
00:40:30 Incorporating Heritage
00:42:25 Simplifying and Distorting
00:49:01 The Background and Symbolism
00:52:59 Choosing Subjects and Historical Figures
00:57:52 Food and Textile Art
01:04:09 The Future: Merging Stone and Textile
01:10:38 The Art of Stone Carving and Textile Art
01:12:21 The Sensory Experience of Stone Carving
01:14:12 Exploring Black History through Art
01:17:19 Moving Stone and Independence
01:22:24 Musical Tastes and Trash TV
01:26:37 The Image of the Black in Western Art
01:30:22 An interesting fact not many people know about Marcia Bennett Male
Links:
Website: mbennettmale.co.uk
Instagram: marciabennettmaletextile
Intro music is Search Friendly by Chris Shards via Epidemic Sound.
About NeedleXChange:
NeedleXChange is a conversation podcast with embroidery and textile artists, exploring their process and practice.
Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers, it is an in-depth showcase of the best needlework artists on the planet.
Visit the NeedleXChange website: https://www.needl.exchange/
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If you want embroidery inspiration and regular doses of textile art, visit the Mr X Stitch site here: https://www.mrxstitch.com
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