‘Tactile Histories’ – a textiles art exhibition at the V&A Museum of Childhood

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‘Tactile Histories’, a textiles arts exhibition telling the unique personal stories of people with sight and hearing impairments, is on at the V&A Museum of Childhood on 23 January.

For 12 weeks people with sensory impairments over the age of 60 worked together at the museum to design a patchwork quilt of memories. The quilters shared their stories and used fabrics, embellishments, print media, paints, and personal objects to mark the twists and turns of their lives.

The project is part of Sense’s Arts & Wellbeing programme, which supports deafblind people at all stages of their involvement in the arts and cultural sector.

Visitors will be able to touch the memory quilt that serves as a tactile history of each participant’s past, while listening to recordings of their stories. 

Kara Jarrold, Sense Research Officer who oversaw the project, said:

Quilts and the act of quilt-making have occupied an important social space in many communities. The making of quilts often spans generations and friendships and every time a quilt is passed on, so too are memories, thoughts or feelings of each recipient. Quiltmaking provides an accessible and significant way of bringing local people together to share their stories with their community.

We hope that visitors will be as inspired by ‘Tactile Histories’ as we were by the museum’s wonderful toy and clothes collection.

‘Tactile Histories’ is on at the V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA, , on 23 January from 2p.m –5p.m.

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