Textile Protest: Artists, Activism and the Historical Power of Cloth in Protest | Julia Triston

Whether fighting for gender equality, protesting conflict and racial injustice, or raising awareness about the climate emergency, textiles have been used in many forms including banners, flags, items of clothing and fine art pieces to express resistance and unite people across different causes.

Thoughtfully illustrated throughout, Textile Protest includes examples such as the knitted Pussyhats of the 2017 Women's March, protest textiles from the Guerrilla Girls, Pride flags that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and the huge variety of textile art in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

This book also covers the rich history of fine art textiles with political themes including Judy Chicago's iconic 1970s installation The Dinner Party and Faith Ringgold's The Flag is Bleeding, and interviews with prominent activist artists that give further insight into the way everyday materials can be repurposed to create arresting political art.

For social justice or peace, to defy oppression or to celebrate liberty, to honour hope and equality or to express solidarity with others, people have made and united behind protest textiles for decades. This book forms a valuable history of their contribution to resistance, showing how textiles have served as powerful tools for activism and storytelling across cultures, campaigns and eras.