Begun in 2001, Rope is a series off hand knitted ropes. It will eventually consist of 10 individual ropes, all 100 metres in length; combined they will measure a kilometre. The first three ropes, which are red, blue and yellow, are complete; the fourth, a green rope, is currently 54 metres in length and the fifth, which is orange, is 17 metres. Purple, along with other coloured ropes are planned.

Rope has become an ironic homage to minimalism and the monochrome, being both a cool formal work of pure colour and a meticulously constructed work firmly embedded in the feminine. The repetitive production process references both mechanized fabrication and domestic craft. Individual ropes, or combinations of them, will be exhibited in a variety of ways; either as sculptures, installations, drawings, video and/or photography. Each new opportunity, or development of the work, will afford a different context, allowing Rope to continually evolve and take on new meaning.

The red rope has been exhibited as part of I am obsessed with detail at Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, 2004, where it became a self portrait and at King’s Lynn Arts Centre, 2007, in a group exhibition looking at narrative. In 2008 it was shown at Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery in an exhibition exploring fairytales, myths and witchcraft in contemporary art. In 2009, knit one purl one saw the red, blue and yellow ropes installed in the Lobby of One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London.

‘The installation is two-fold, photographic representations of the ropes’ travels through the building, showing how they were transformed from place to place, and how the locations were in turn transformed by the presence of the ropes; and the capturing of their apparent freedom, confining their soft and linear character by placing them in hard transparent containers, with just their texture and colours remaining the constant factors.’ Ann Elliott, Independent Curator

Click here to read essay by Ann Elliott