We are delighted to welcome visitors to Dovecot Studios over the next month to witness something truly special taking shape on our looms. A remarkable new tapestry, designed by Zimbabwean Scottish artist Sekai Machache for the University of Aberdeen, is currently in progress in our studio and you can see it being woven in real time.
This ambitious commission, supported by Jerwood Art Fund Commissions, will enrich the University of Aberdeen’s collections. The tapestry revisits the legacy of the Sibyls (ancient female oracles), through a contemporary lens. Machahe draws inspiration from a series of 17th-century paintings, likely by Scottish artist George Jamesone, held in the University’s collection. Her design reclaims the Sibyls as symbols of female authority, while also acknowledging their complex origins and connections.
Here at Dovecot, visitors can observe how the studio’s weavers are translating Machache’s triptych design into over 100 vivid hues of blue. The weavers are using cotton and linen yarns to capture the vibrancy and depth of Machache’s original ink washes, with the panels woven on their side to preserve the fluidity of the drawn lines.
This commission is made possible by Jerwood Art Fund Commissions, a partnership between Jerwood Foundation and Art Fund offering a rare opportunity for artists and museums to work together on fully funded, ambitious commissions.
Later this year, the tapestry will be installed in the Sir Duncan Rice Library at the University of Aberdeen. Until then, we invite you to experience the making process up close.
Lisa Collinson of University of Aberdeen Collections says “We are looking forward to seeing this strand of the University’s history woven into the present in such a vivid and contemporary way. We’re deeply grateful to the artist, Dovecot, and our funders for creating this amazing opportunity to enhance our art collection, and we’re absolutely delighted that glimpses of this wonderful artwork are already open to all.”
Available to view Monday–Friday 12–3pm, Saturday 10am–5pm from the Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony