Joshua Raffell

Working with textile, clay, mosaic and paint, Joshua’s focus is on crochet, which he has used to make sculptures, wall pieces and even books using bright colours and sparkly yarns.

“One of the things I like about working with textiles is that I am able to include people in my work by creating collaboratively. I have also become aware that people start to talk when they are working with textiles. The talk can be everything: the type of texture of the yarn, the weather or even big issues that are worrying or fascinating people. The crochet hook can become a point stick to stress a point”

His practice attempts to re-use a range of materials in his work, therefore, during this residency he will be collecting what is considered rubbish from and around Portsmouth. He is particularly interested in using cardboard packaging, plastic containers, charity shop finds, wool, twine and will turn these objects into artworks, ultimately questioning and exploring how we attach value to things.

In the next stage of his practice, he will begin to play and experiment with the rubbish. Fixing it into 3D shapes or 2D patterns, he may also draw, paint and crochet or stitch the ideas alongside the construction. In this stage of his practice, he will work quickly and produce ideas at volume.

This residency is part of a larger programme at Aspex Portsmouth and elements/research made during this period will culminate in a group show at Aspex’s main gallery summer exhibition later this year.

About the Artist

Joshua Raffell comes from a working class and canal/gypsy background. As a dyslexic and gay artist, he takes inspiration from ideas of identity as impacted upon by mental health and conformity. Radical and polemic at heart, his work pushes boundaries of the self and uses experimentation to challenge audiences and question power and repression at the intersection of class, gender and sexuality.

You can find out more about Joshua by heading to his website here