Nostalgic Threads

Gala Jane

15–30 july 2023

Gala Jane is a research based mixed-media artist who uses text to create a social commentary around women’s safety and mental health through the use of found objects and textiles. Her studio and artworks were destroyed during the Lismore floods in 2022, compelling her to delve into the lasting trauma and the process of healing that follows such catastrophic events.

This journey of self-reflection has led to drawing on the past, exploring the comforts of nostalgic icons from growing up in the 90s. She reflects on her life before the flood when tangible objects held much more importance, to a life she now knows, where objects are fleeting and can be taken from you in an instant.

Nostalgic Threads celebrates the visual iconography that defined her generation, here Gala is showcasing a collection of hand tufted wall rugs, turning recognisable symbols into tangible pieces of art. It’s a journey through the depths of the 90s and 00s technology boom from VHS to iPods, from lollipop rings to emojis. She uses bold colours, text and painterly techniques to break the traditional bounds of rug making and doing so, is attempting to make these memories tangible again and find the comfort in the nostalgic.