FINE CELL WORK UNVEILS A UNIQUE FINE CELL WORK PROJECT FOR THE JERWOOD FOUNDATION AT THE SAGE CONCERT HALL, NEWCASTLE

On February 10th at the Sage Concert Hall in Newcastle  Fine Cell Work launched its major public commission for the Jerwood Foundation, the first one of its kind to be sponsored by the Jerwood. The piece, seen below, is a 3.5 by 1.5 metre wall hanging entitled Bridging the Gap was stitched in prison by Fine Cell Work inmates over a period of two and a half years and will now go on permanent display at the Sage.

Seen above, Bridging the Gap - the wall hanging now on display at The Sage, Gateshead.

Textile designer Polly Scott Bolton and rug designer Sandy Jones out of drawings and ideas from prisoners. It uses very innovative embroidery techniques, mixing stem stitch, chain stitch and kantha work, on chiffon, voile and felt.

In all, fifteen inmates were involved in the conception, execution and design of the piece, which is an expression of hope from people in prison, that “unknown” world, created in the knowledge that it will hang in a public place. Five prisons were involved in the work, including Durham's Frankland Prison.

A detail from the reverse of the design

Fine Cell Work also held a sale of their products at the Sage on the day of the unveiling where they launched a number of new designs to coincide with the commissioned piece, including cushions featuring the Angel of the North and kites, which were inspired by Bridging the Gap and the local area. These new cushions can be viewed and purchased in our shop.

Alan Grieve, Chairman of the Jerwood foundation who sponsored the work

unveils the piece.

You can read more about this commission online in a recent article by Helen Nugent in The Times.