Above: Laure Felton (Craft & Design Centre), Kai and Darren Henley (CEO, Arts Council England) with the tapestry installation I Run and Run, Let Out an Earth Shattering Roar, and Turn into a Giant Octopussy (Kai Syng Tan 2018). Picture by Andrew Jarred 31/01/2020

 This is a gallery of images from the solo exhibition #MagicCarpet: Of wandering and weaving, of digits and the digital, of craft and craftiness A tapestry by Kai Syng Tan at the Manchester Craft and Design Centre (30/1/2020-04/04/2020). The images have been taken by Kai and the Centre. This gallery documents the set up, private view (30/1/2020) and exhibition. This was #MagicCarpet’s first solo exhibition in Manchester. Through a tapestry, film, badges and publication, as well as an early version of an 2016 drawing that's since in the Wellcome Images Library, the show explores the notions of wandering (of the hyperactive mind and the restless body), weaving (of a tapestry; of ideas that clash and create new insights), digits (of the fingers that caress the tapestry), the digital (of iPad drawings; of Ada Lovelace’s computer programming; of the digital Jacquard loom), craft (on skills, on labour) and craftiness (of the place of the arts today). We launched a new publication, On Art, Neurodivesity & Giant Octopussies: Reflections on #MagicCarpet. This booklet documents my reflections of #MagicCarpet. It is my invitation for feedback, and participation for #MagicCarpet’s next adventures. A panel discussion was scheduled. It was to have been chaired by Kate Day, Director of the Craft Centre, to explore how art, craft and neurodiversty can provoke insights and lead change today. We were to be joined by Creative Director at the Crafts Council Natalie Melton, and Assistant Curator of Textiles and Wallpaper at the Whitworth Gallery, Uthra Rajgopal. 

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the show has been shut ahead of its 4th April date, and the panel discussion cancelled. The Centre has however honoured the commission. Thus, I will work with colleagues of Neurodiversity In/And Creative Research Network to redirect some of this funding for self-employed/early-career colleagues. Join in a fun Craftiness Against COVID-19 haiku contest that also supports emerging colleagues, join the network.! I have also redirected some of the funding as small donations to the NHS to have access to PPE for staff, the Guardian for its no-paywall, in-depth coverages and the Pankhurst Trust which protects women from possible escalation of domestic violence during this time).

I am very grateful to Kate Day, Laura Felten, Andrew Jarred, Kayleen Jenkinson and others of the Craft Centre who have been most professional, sincere and dedicated since the discussion to have the exhibition began more than one year ago. In particular Laura has been exquisite. Having inherited the project in a very short space of time, she has been humble, patient and very open to learning about the work and then to make the information and narratives around it accessible. Her all-roundedness (as curator, producer, manager, communicator, installer, educator, workshop leader for children, volunteer coordinator etc ) has been most impressive.! Please support the work of the Centre. Visit the website to learn its mission and proud history, go to the beautiful premises when it reopens, purchase the beautiful work created by its community of craft-makers. I look forward to working with the Centre again.