Moves Like…Tal

1. I didn’t speak English until I moved to Australia at the age of eight.
2. Before I started my PhD, I spent 4 years in the non-profit sector working on building grassroots resilience in natural disaster-affected communities.
3. I’ve also worked as a disability support worker and have spent a lifetime supporting my parents with the care of my older brother who lives with a profound disability.

Singing maybe? Although, if you’ve spent any time with me then maybe it’s not so secret because I sing to myself non-stop. My partner George Carpenter is a music producer and every now and then I get to do some background vocals for him, which is fun. During lockdown, we even recorded an EP under the name WHY THO, which was a great outlet for my rage (if you’re into synth/drum-heavy dark wave-inspired tunes, you might want to check us out).

OMG I have so many art crushes!!

Firstly, since collaboration is core to my practice, I have to give a shout out to some of the wonderful artists I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the last 10 years, including: Kate Just, Stephanie Dunlap, Melissa Spratt, Kait James, Amy Claire, Guy Ritani, and my sister Sofia Fitzpatrick.

Hannah Gartside is a friend from and an artist I absolutely adore; she was just awarded the Richard Parker Award at the Melbourne Art Fair, and I couldn’t be happier for her!

Last year I had the opportunity to check out the SaVĀge K’lub installation at the NGA as it was being installed. It’s an epic exhibition which was recently subject to some censorship, I encourage everyone to go learn more about that.

Locally, my studio mate Merinda Davis is an artist I am constantly inspired by and learning from. Her capacity to attune to and collaborate with the more-than-human world feels like magic to me, and the way she creates projects that stretch across time and into imagined futures feels truly radical.

I could keep going, but that’s probably enough for now! I am constantly sharing work from artists, particularly textile artists and craftivists, in my stories, so if you want more recommendations, follow me!

Craftivism is a term I came across early on in my PhD research and since that day, this idea has transformed my entire arts practice.

Craftivism describes the use of craft as a strategy for activism, advocacy, and (as I argued in my PhD thesis) DIY citizenship. The term emerged in the early 2000s and is understood to incorporate the use of digital technologies and social media to engage audiences and encourage participation. However, craft has been deployed by communities around the world as a tool for resistance for generations!

My craftivism work has largely focussed on the issue of human rights and women’s rights (including the rights of Trans women and gender non-conforming folk). I make appliqué quilted work embellished with hand-embroidered details, which I describe as banners or angry blankets. I see these artworks as conversation starters, and I hope that when audiences encounter my work, they are prompted to reflect on their own values (and perhaps get inspired to make some crafty banners of their own!).

Belonging – that feeling of deep connection with a place or a community – is a powerful and tricky thing. It is human nature to create ‘in-groups’ and ‘out-groups’ – especially in times of scarcity and uncertainty. There is a deep sense of comfort and meaning that comes with the experience of belonging, and inversely those who feel they don’t belong (whether that’s a result of internal or external forces) can struggle with a sense of disenfranchisement that can be painful and destabilising.

My curiosity around the concept of belonging, which I hope to explore through this project, includes questions like: Can crafting together help us foster a sense of belonging? Can we come together to build the social, cultural, and economic capital necessary within our communities to fashion a truly inclusive society? Can we broaden our ideas of what it means to belong beyond identifiers such as nationality, religion, ethnicity, or even species?

Melissa and I met at Placemakers* in 2023 while we were participating in the INCUBATE* residency program. We both utilise text and textiles in our work and right away we talked about ideas for potential collaborations. Later that year, after we were both selected for the 2023-2024 Generate GC program, we got an opportunity to flesh out these ideas and we’ve been working together since. Melissa’s sensitive and gentle approach to art and life is a nice counterbalance to my more confrontational approach to change-making, and I get a lot out of her invitation to craft ways to more gently remake the world.

Craftivism is truly a global practice, and I am lucky to be engaged in conversations and collaborations that cross borders and build international solidarity. I’ve been involved in leading international projects (e.g. @UDHRquiltproject, @Covid19quilt) and I’ve participated in projects led by others (e.g. @threads.of.solidarity, @yumi_olgeta). I also get to engage in this practice through my work as a researcher. Alongside my colleague Dr. Alyce McGovern, we are investigating how craftivists are tackling the issue of gender-based violence.

As a socially-engaged artist, I approach public engagement and community participation as a generative and transformative site for art/change-making. The wonderful thing about craft and people who make, mend, tinker, and create is how curious they are, how keen they are to try new things, and how generous they are in sharing their skills and experiences. It is a community I am so glad to be a part of, and truly, one of the greatest privileges that come with being a craftivist is that I get to create spaces where crafty people can come together, make together, share their values, and make plans for a better future.

For me, the act of making itself is a reminder that we have the power to reshape the world around us, to make it softer, kinder, and more inclusive. The experience of agency I get through the creative process gives me the energy I need to keep showing up in the world and trying to move towards positive change.