Jane Pickersgill
Jane Pickersgill graduated with an MFA (Fine Art) from Wimbledon College of Art (UAL) in 2018. Leeds born, she moved to London for career opportunities. Since 2024 she has a studio at Thamesside Studios SE18, having previously worked from temporary Koppel Project locations in Farringdon & Bank.
Overflow - 2024
Textiles folded and handstitched onto a painted timber frame.
The work references couture fashion processes (fashion was my former profession). Bespoke garments are pinned and handstitched onto a live fashion midel. Unlike the costly silks of couture this work is made from the least expensive nylon net material widely available for fancy dress, ballet tutus, and carnival outfits. The shape of the timber frame, - wider at the top- echoes fashion drawings which emphasize the shoulders and make the hips narrower.
Alternative Futures - 2026
Textiles hand, and machine, stitched onto linen.
The title refers to the removal of a component from its original context : resituating it in another. Recontextualisation is a key aspect of my work; the breaking with tradition, social mobility and aspiration. I enjoy challenging preconceptions, asking fabrics to perform tasks outside of their usual function. One of these fabrics is used for inner covers of bookbinding whilst the other is cotton organdie- which was widely used for trousseaux, and, historically, for stiff white collars on both mens and womenswear. Instead of feminine embroidery or lace trims the fabric is stitched drawing influence from constructivism and super modern architecture.