Visual mapping project "Women's threads of Bristol"
If you could celebrate a local woman who would you choose?
I am taking nominations for women to go on a visual map of Bristol and I’m looking for women to go on it.
She just needs to have made a positive difference. This could be wider, like starting a community group or more personal, like caring for a neighbour or relative. All are equally relevant.
Fill in the form at the top of this page to nominate someone
More about the project
WOMEN’S THREADS OF BRISTOL
In March this year I started to create a textile map responding to nominations of women who have made an impact during their lifetimes – large or small.
I’m now touring it round local areas of Bristol – starting with Easton. Some of the nominations will be made into larger portraits to be displayed on Stapleton Road at the end of the summer 2023.*
‘Women’s Threads of Bristol’ aims to create a comprehensive visual illustration of places in Bristol that are named after women – roads, buildings, parks, blue plaques, murals – all are relevant. It encourages exploration of who these women were and what they did to earn recognition.
But, just as importantly, it asks people to suggest who they think should be on the map. Who were your female community champions? Which women dedicated their lives towards science, health, teaching, equalities and the arts?
Across history many women have been left off the map – it’s time to put them on!
The project intends to create conversations about how and where we remember our female sheroes, the gaps in our visual recognition of women in the city and to celebrate their personal stories and achievements.
Each tuft of colour represents a different women - the tufting colours have been chosen by those who nominated them. All women are treated equally on the front of the map. See the back of the map for who they are, why they have been put on the map and the proportion of yellow and purple tags!
Purple tags have been used for women who already have a plaque, building, road, park or mural named after them. Purple is a colour commonly associated with women’s equality.
Yellow tags show nominations by members of the public for a woman who has made a difference, whether large or small. Yellow is often used as the colour of hope.
A digital map runs alongside this project, with 2 layers, one showing the women who have some form of physical marker in the city – the ‘purple’ layer. There will be one showing the women who have been nominated – the ‘yellow’ layer. At the moment only the purple layer is available.
The project will run until International Women’s Day 2024.
More about the artist:
Zoe Gibbons’ work visualises heritage stories and explores our connection to place using salvaged and upcycled materials. She was the recipient of an Arts Council Award in 2022 to develop her experimental techniques in scaling up stitch and collage. The women’s map is being created using tufting techniques and used billboard posters.
*This commission is part of the City Centre and High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority's Love our High Streets project.
