TITANIC BELFAST IS IN BLOOM WITH NEW FLORAL ART INSTALLATION

TITANIC Belfast has unveiled a stunning new art installation that has been lovingly handcrafted by a collective of 12 feltmakers from across the island of Ireland and beyond.

The Fabric of Belfast, has been spearheaded by Shelley Steele of Felting Crazy in Ballymena, and supported by Region 14 of the International Feltmakers Association, Feltmakers North and Feltmakers Ireland.

The stunning installation, which can be seen suspended from the ceiling in the atrium of the world-famous visitor attraction, comprises five large single flowers, 22 medium blooms and 99 small flowers on 11 rings. Each creation is flecked with real flax fibres and linen yarn, provided by local producers Mallon Linen. These have been used to hang the flowers that celebrate collaboration in its truest form by uniting artists from Antrim to Kildare, Dublin to Cork, Portugal and Ukraine.

From shaping fibres in the Dromara Hills overlooking the Mournes to stitching layers in studios in Royal Hillsborough, Kildare and Cork, each bloom represents hours of craftsmanship, a regional voice, and a contribution to a collective story which links back to Belfast’s booming industrial past when Belfast was a major producer of linen.

Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast said: “The Flax Flowers installation is the result of a remarkable collaboration between 12 textile artists who have been brought together by their shared passion for feltmaking and heritage crafts. Each flower represents many hours of work and deep creative intent, with participants relishing the chance to connect, learn, and honour a story central to Belfast’s identity, reviving flax and linen through the timeless medium of wool and felt.

The result is a stunning piece of artwork that we are so proud to display in the atrium of Titanic Belfast for our visitors from around the world to view. It’s an honour to be able to showcase such beautiful work from this amazing group of passionate feltmakers that helps tell a story of Belfast’s rich textile heritage.”

Shelley Steele of Felting Crazy added: “We are thrilled that The Fabric of Belfast is being displayed at Titanic Belfast. Whether working solo in rural workshops or meeting at associations, homes and shared studios, the 12 feltmakers have found joy, challenge and pride in contributing to a stunning installation that honours the industrial and natural threads that wove Belfast’s legacy.

Many of the artists are lifelong crafters, like South Belfast’s Jane Fox, who embraced the challenge of large-scale work for the first time, and Armagh’s Jacki Sleator, who described felting as “slow and physical,” but a powerful way to connect makers with a shared purpose. For some, like Sharon Bell from Anahilt or Siobhán Healy Ryan in Dublin, the project offered the joy of learning new techniques and meeting like-minded people in the spirit of the Irish meitheal.”

Newcomers to Ireland including Viktor Hurtovyi, who has previously exhibited across Europe, found a warm welcome and a creative home in this project, sharing Ukrainian felting traditions within the Irish context. And for others, like Dr. María “Loli” Cox, who recently relocated from New York to Dublin, it was a way to connect sustainability, heritage and art through natural fibres.”