Leili Khabiri
(British-Iranian b.1997) Primarily a textiles-based artist, her practice focuses on the symbolism of process, how a work possesses an energy through the making rather than from the use of imagery. The pieces are artefacts of this rather than works existing to depict a certain emotion or concept. She avoids loud use of colour, finding it to be too forceful, and is developing her practice to be focused on energy in these time-consuming processes, one that is powerful but quiet in nature. Hand woven tapestries possess the energy of the weaver. This is not just created through the touch/physicality of the hand, as artist feels she is weaving herself into the fabric. Whether that is a sentiment or energy, the act of weaving becomes the focus and is done in a manner that is symbolic and meditative. Lying on the border between artistic form and necessity since the beginning of human existence, not only does textiles relate to all cultures today but also connects us back to ancestors 1000s of year before us. Her method of hand weaving has not changed for millennia, there are no mechanisms or machines present, all actions are done by hand. Skimming Stars Like Pebbles: Hand Woven Lullaby; The name she has given to her tapestries collectively, for each the artist has written a story, tales of night, dreams, and skies. A Lullaby relates to these subjects, but the etymology meaning ‘soft goodbye’ harks to the softness of textiles, simultaneously the quiet character of these tapestries.
