Kirstie Macleod brought The Red Dress to King's Bruton

It was a real pleasure to able to welcome Kirstie Macleod, creator of The Red Dress, to King’s Bruton.

Pupils and staff had the opportunity to listen to Kirstie talk about her concept, the artisans involved in its creation and the journey she has been on since its inception almost thirteen years ago. Her work engages with the audience by bringing together embroiderers from all corners of the world who have contributed to its growth and success. There have been over 260 embroiderers from 29 different countries. We were all captivated as Kirstie identified individual embroidered segments and relayed the moving context behind each piece of work. The dress is a platform for, mainly women, who have shared their identity, experiences (some harrowing), and cultural heritage. By bringing all these artisans together they have created a unified sense of hope, belonging and ownership to the work, one which is palpable and able to strike an emotional chord on many levels.

Seeing and feeling the dress was an emotive experience as one was able to gain a sense of all the time, energy and stories that have been associated with its creation. With the diverse cultures involved the dress has a powerful, eclectic aesthetic to it, which combines effortlessly to form the most radiant, regal garment. The pupils were certainly inspired by Kirstie’s integrity and determination to not only give these women a voice, but for it to be seen and appreciated by as many people as possible. To look at, it is simply stunning.

Kirsty has been one of the most inspirational artists to come to King’s and we are so grateful that she was able to share her work and life story with us. As The Red Dress moves on to be exhibited both in the UK and across the World, we feel blessed that we have had this wonderful opportunity. We wish Kirstie all the best for the future, and hope to see her back at King’s again soon, where hopefully, she can reach an even wider audience of the local community too.

The King's Bruton Dolphin Editorial Team filmed an interview with Kirstie Macleod, and this will feature exclusively in this year's Dolphin Magazine which will be published at the end of the summer term.

Seamus Harkness - Head of Art

Flickr album: Art - Kirstie Macleod - The Red Dress - 24th February 2022 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

Comments from Kirstie Macleod...

The Red Dress and I spent a lovely day with the students and staff at King's Bruton in Somerset yesterday, where as well as showing them the garment and the embroidery, I shared stories from some of its artisans, explained how the Red Dress began and some of the ups and downs along the way.

I was amazed at how engaged the students were, and I enjoyed answering their excellent questions - some of which I’ve never been asked before! I was also very moved by how deeply some individuals connected to the garment and in some cases simply didn’t want to leave the room.

A beautiful art space, full of warm and inspiring staff who support the students to direct their own practice in pretty much any direction and technique imaginable! I saw beautiful ceramic sculptures and an incredible Greyson Perry inspired pot, alongside vibrant self portraits in oil, Tibetan inspired embroidery and an abstract sculpture communicating themes of identity. I loved witnessing the open discussions and thoughtful self enquiry displayed by the students and how much of themselves they put put into their work.

Thank you @kingsbruton and especially all in the Art Dept for such a fantastic day - we look forward to returning soon!