Three pieces from the final exhibition of Criminal Quilts were also included in Material Evidence as they have not been seen so much.
Labels
Prison Labels
The words are taken from prison records to catalogue and describe the women in the photographs. I want these words to be seen as they are: just labels, without humanity. This piece was developed alongside Fallen with Gillian McFarland.
Hand stitched text on Victorian newspaper
Ruth Singer 2022
Cells
A collaboration with Alys Power
I have worked with jeweller Alys Power to create this series of small wooden containers. The boxes are scaled to the proportions of a Victorian prison cell. Each one tells a story of an individual or a collective story of the challenges, life circumstances and trauma I have uncovered during the research project. They reference issues like illiteracy, homelessness and incarceration.
They also reflect the personal and working lives of the women including a bar of soap carved with the initials of a laundress and a box pierced with nails recalling a nail maker. Another includes coal which was commonly stolen. One holds a doormat, which Bridget Warrilow stole to sell for 3 pence to buy food. Each box is identified with a cell number which is how the women were identified in prison.
Techniques & materials include digital print on textile, metalwork, carving & hand embroidery using copper, found objects, textile, soap, coal and clay.
Alys Power & Ruth Singer 2020
Fallen
Fallen
A collaboration with Gillian McFarland
I have collaborated with fine artist Gillian McFarland to create an installation piece reflecting the stories of some of the women in the prison photographs. The work explores the idea of women being labelled and identified by derogatory or demeaning terms. We have contrasted these with images of feminine perfect in the form of Staffordshire ceramic figurines.
This work also draws upon the story of Fanny and Ada Riddle, two sisters held in Stafford prison in 1894-5. They were servants but were convicted together of obtaining money by false pretences and sent to prison. They were also convicted later of stealing food, clothing and small items, probably for survival. They are both in Wolverhampton Workhouse for the 1901 census where Ada had an illegitimate baby.
Techniques & materials include digital print on textile, ceramic decals and textile on found objects. Ceramics are made in Staffordshire.
Ruth Singer & Gillian McFarland 2021
Criminal Quilts book
£16
Ruth Singer 