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Textiles (MA)

Henrietta Johns

small bone like sculpture made from sterling silver

Henrietta Johns is a multi-disciplinary artist and maker based in London, specialising in the conceptual, sculptural, hand-crafted object.

Henrietta's practice focuses on abstract woven form, built upon her traditional education in woven textile making. After completing her Bachelor's degree in Textile Design at Central Saint Martins in 2018, Henrietta refocused her understanding and knowledge of woven structure to address weaving as a medium for contemporary sculpture.

Now recently graduated for her Masters in Textiles at the Royal College of Art in 2023, her works are rooted in ecological perspective, the human/nonhuman exchange, identity, and a recently developed interest in internal self reflection.

Degree Details

School of DesignTextiles (MA)WeaveRCA2023 at Truman Brewery

Truman Brewery, F Block, First and second floors

Sponsor: Ashley Foundation Scholarship

black and white portrait of a woman in her later twenties, brown hair and brown eyes

‘I Confess…’ is an ongoing collection of conceptual sculptural objects that have acted as a form of documentation. Each object embodies a deeply personal story, and as a collection they hold a physical presence of an unfolding autobiographical journey of grief, trauma, a psychotic episode, a bipolar diagnosis and… is to be continued.

‘Death Does Not Cradle’ explores the conflict between the actuality of losing someone you love, and watching their pain in trying to survive. The tiny cluster of 12 steel beads sit heavy and cold, nestling in the crossed arms of death as it looms over, it’s height indicative of it’s power.

a tall woven linen sculpture holding a small cluster of steel beads
close up image of sculpture detail
hands holding a small white object
lino print of a depiction of death towering over a small white object
close up image of sculpture detail

Medium:

Linen, Steel

‘Touch Me Not’, namesake of the plant Mimosa Pudica, also known as the Shame-plant, is a woven tapestry triptych. Each banner displaying a statement of my psychosis. Tightly rolled, an inability to let go of shame.

three pink woven tapestry banners tightly rolled into a spiral, side view of the roll
pink pencil drawing of a woman curled into a ball on the floor, text reads 'you never remember quite how bad it gets'
close up detail of sculpture
redacted psychiatry notes
close up detail of sculpture
pink pencil drawing of a woman lying in bed, text reads 'good thing I didn't have a knife'

Medium:

Shetland Wool

‘I Feel Like I Know You From Somewhere…’ depicts an emotional distance to oneself after receiving a bipolar diagnosis. Captured on film to mirror an experience of depersonalisation. I couldn’t come to terms with being this person I didn’t know.

woven linen sculpture that resembles a portrait, image take on black and white film
close up detail shot of portrait sculpture, focusing on lead teeth
portrait sculpture still on the loom being constructed
blurred, abstract portrait photograph
blurred film photograph of full portrait sculpture

Medium:

Linen, Lead

Entitled ‘The Selfish Child’, this work explores the dynamic between mother and child, and the significance of the presence of that relationship during my mother’s illness. The mother and the child. The mother’s illness pregnant with the child’s pain.

woven dark blue linen sculpture that resembles the shape of a pelvis, with a small sterling silver object hanging in the centre
close up detail image of view through the sculpture
ink relief drawing of a naked woman, through the drawing you can see an object filling her torso
small bone line sterling silver sculpture
The child, an effigy object representing the physical feeling of overwhelming depression. It fills your torso, from your throat down through your chest, dropping to the pit of your stomach. Born with an extra bone.
lino print of an object sitting within a pelvis, text below reads 'the selfish child'
woven dark blue linen sculpture that resembles the shape of a pelvis, with a small sterling silver object hanging in the centre

Medium:

Linen, Sterling Silver
all four sculptures of the 'I Confess...' series

Ashley Foundation Scholarship

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Royal College of Art

Registered Office: Royal College of Art,
Kensington Gore, South Kensington,
London SW7 2EU