Entangled and Woven Review: Textiles Crossing Borders and Time 2026

The Entangled and Woven textile exhibition at the Whitworth Gallery is a breathtaking showcase of exquisitely spun fabrics that cross borders, culture, and time. How many hands did it take to make this show? That is to say, how many artisans, craftspeople, weavers, and artists’ hands did these pieces pass through? For this is a textile exhibition that doesn’t just celebrate a short list of singular artists, but rather the many highly skilled craftspeople and communities repeating the stitches and specialties of their ancestors.

The Art of Textile Collaboration

Take Entangled Memories, Interwoven Stories by Péro for example: it was made by 50 artisans and took 18,000 hours to complete. And that’s one piece, in an exhibition that spans three galleries. These many hands and hours make Entangled and Woven an exquisitely beautiful exhibition. Every slip of fabric is layered with delicate detail and texture. Fabrics are airy and ethereal one moment, and weighty and dipped in deep indigo the next.

Cultural Exchange Through Weaving

What elevates this show from “it looks good” to “it’s great” is the fact it is also a true cultural exchange. The authentic type, where the artists have met in person, have visited each other’s countries, and have made brand new works in response to these research trips. The exhibition draws together eight artists and collectives from Korea and India, inviting them to incorporate new techniques into their own practices, creating something new that crosses borders, culture, and time.

Historical Textiles on Display

The Whitworth holds around 20,000 textiles from across the globe, and for this show it presents several historic Indian and Korean works, some dating back to the 18th century. They are carefully placed around the gallery, sometimes mirroring the new works and other times educating us on technique. It is hard for these pieces – primarily flat on the wall in frames – to command presence alongside the impactful contemporary installations, but they serve as a good historical reference point and a link to Manchester’s past as a centre of textile production.

Comparison of Traditional vs. Contemporary Textiles

Key Takeaways from Entangled and Woven

• 18,000 hours of craftsmanship went into one piece by Péro.
• Features works from eight artists and collectives from Korea and India.
• Includes historic textiles dating back to the 18th century.
• Highlights authentic cultural exchange through in-person visits.
• Showcases the Whitworth’s vast textile collection of over 20,000 pieces.

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