Fragility, weaving identities and storytelling through craft

Norma Banton joined the SELFestival and spoke about her work to change systemic inequalities through the craft of her work as a jeweller, and in developing new jewellers and providing training and sales points for Black jewellers as well as opportunities to address the injustices of the value chain.

Giving clear advice on the finances of a jewellery business and how she had started with the business model, rather than the work as well as having the ambition and willingness to employ others.

Memories, telling histories and recontextualising storied is part of Rezia Wahid’s practice as w weaver, teacher and performer. She reflected on how her work balanced the fragility of materials while using the threads to show human vulnerability and how her work was about different forms of visibility. How “the red thread of fate sometimes created work that could be perceived as damaged, but was work that was made the way it was meant to be – that mistakes bring a different quality to work.” Her work shows how identities are connected and woven together.