Thread-making and threadwork represent some of women’s finest expressions of skill, artistry, and craftsmanship. From ancient civilisations to modern societies, intricate weaving, embroidery, and textile practices have transformed homes into spaces of art while often serving as forms of economic exchange. With these practices thriving across countless cultures and shaping collective heritage, REDBASE asks: what is it about threadwork that allows it to become such a powerful expression of spirit, survival, imagination, and identity? And how can we, as a gallery, best capture and present its hidden quiet — the attitudes, intentions, and processes embedded within each work, which upon closer inspection can become profoundly expressive?

Silent Threads is an exhibition that presents thread-making practices centred on what remains unspoken. The undisclosed words, emotions, and narratives concealed within the artworks emerge through the hands and experiences of three female artists: Gao Rong, Yin Xiuzhen, and Faelerie.

Viewers will encounter Gao Rong’s delicate yet powerful works, which create a striking balance between an invitation to transgress and a warm permission to unfold, preserve, and renew the past. Yin Xiuzhen reflects on the modernisation of female labour and the transformation of accumulated memories as the symbolic suitcase is closed and carried onto its next journey. Faelerie reveals her path as an emerging artist, navigating the complex and archetypal relationship between mother and daughter through the framework of a female hero’s journey.

Ultimately, Silent Threads weaves together narratives of growth, absence, and the fragile connections between personal histories and place. The exhibition invites viewers to quieten their minds and become fully present with these extraordinary artworks.