In the The Looms, Blackhorse Activators were invited to respond to artist Majd Abdel Hamid’s solo exhibition Daydreamers through embroidery and needlework. Considering the slowness and repetition present in Majd’s process, the group used thread to engage with the subtle and imaginative forms of resistance the act of daydreaming can hold.
Led by Trainee Producers, Varvara Uhlik and Sam Stewart, the workshop began with a tour of the exhibition, followed by a reflective discussion and a series of written responses, that focused on the artist’s engagement with ‘time’ both as material and medium. These responses identified stitching as a tool for sensing, sketching to process sensory experiences, and for reflection. Following an open-ended logic present in Hamid’s Daydreamers, The Looms offered a space where value was placed on making slowly, with outcomes that considered the potential of the non-prescriptive act of sketching within the context of a fast-paced London backdrop.
Blackhorse Activators are a group of 15-25 year olds from Walthamstow with a passion for applying creativity to build community, who meet monthly at Blackhorse Road Workshop and cultural venues in London. They are a graduate cohort from the Blackhorse Responders programme.
Varvara Uhlik and Sam Stewart are Cell's Trainee Producers, an initiative supported by Art Fund's Student Art Pass. The seven-month structured programme offers two full-time students a paid work placement to work closely with Cell’s critically focused team to actively engage in all aspects of gallery operations, from supporting the delivery of exhibitions and events to enhancing audience engagement.
Majd Abdel Hamid is a visual artist from Palestine. He was born in Damascus in 1988, and is currently based between Beirut and Paris. He graduated from Malmö Art Academy, Sweden (2010) and attended the International Academy of Art in Palestine (2007-2009). Majd Abdel Hamid solo exhibitions include Signal, Malmö (2024) Muscle Memory, CCA: Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow; 800 meters and a corridor, gb agency, Paris (2022); A Stitch in Time, Fondation d'Entreprise Hermès, Brussels curated by Guillaume Desanges (2021). Majd Abdel Hamid's work has been featured in numerous international group exhibitions. A full biography can ba accessed on the artist's exhibition page 'Daydreamers'.
Majd Abdel Hamid's exhibition is generously supported by Fluxus Art Projects and Cockayne Foundation
We’d love to welcome your group to explore the exhibition.
To arrange a visit or get more details, please contact Annabelle Mödlinger: annabelle[at]cellprojects.org.
