Making Pockets as Everyday Resistance

Pockets and small bags are a microcosm of complex political history. In their book The Pocket: A Hidden History of Women’s Lives (Yale University Press, 2019), Barbara Burman and Ariane Fennetaux write:

“There is more to pockets than meets the hasty eye, and that, mundane as they may appear, they engage us with wide issues and open new and arresting ways of looking at women’s lives in the past.”

During the workshop, we will trace the historical evolution of pockets in clothing, examining how their presence—or absence—has been influenced by societal norms and gender roles.

The lecture will delve into how women's clothing reflects broader issues of gender inequality and societal expectations.

On the practical side, participants will learn how to add pockets to garments as a creative and political gesture—resisting patriarchal and capitalist structures embedded in our everyday clothing.

*You are encouraged to bring clothing that you can add pockets to

*Experience with a sewing machine is helpful but not required.

*Capacity for this workshop is limited. If you cannot attend, please cancel your ticket.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Hilla Shapira is a wearable and textile artist. Originally from Tel-Aviv, Israel, and is currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Her work deals with the relationships between common design and body regimen. By making functional mundane objects she questions design norms and the political aspects of things. She has presented her work in Israel, Europe, and the USA including: Art Basel (Miami, FL), Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art (Philadelphia, PA), NY Textile Month (NYC, NY), Jerusalem Design Week (Jerusalem, Israel), NY Jewelry week (NYC, NY), Little Berlin Gallery, (Philadelphia, PA), Depo2015 (Pilsen, Czech Republic), Neve Schechter Gallery (Tel-Aviv, Israel), Hansen House (Jerusalem, Israel), Textile Arts Center (Brooklyn, NY) and Wasserman Projects (Detroit, MI). She was AIR in Carrizozo residency (Carrizozo, NM), Popps Packing (Hamtramck, MI), Makerspace (Brooklyn, NY) and Neve Schechter center (Tel-Aviv, Israel). She received her BFA in Fashion from Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem, Israel and her MFA in Fiber from Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield-Hills MI, USA. Shapira's work had been featured in different publications including: Hyperallergic Magazine, NY Jewish Week, Metalsmith Magazine, Portfolio Magazine, Haaretz, and the Jerusalem Post.

ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:

Textile Arts Center’s Work in Progress (TAC WIP) is a window into the studio practice of contemporary artists and designers that engages the public in a dialogue with the field of textiles.⁠

Host or Publisher Textile Arts Center