Hearts on Our Sleeves
Written by Raabia Fazil
Artwork: Joke Amusan
Venerable Toynbee Hall welcomed RIOT SOUP on 5th March for our Hearts On Our Sleeves day festival. Whilst the wintry breeze blew outside, the space was transformed into a multi-sensory experience.
We received friendly and professional support from the Community Engagement Team at Toynbee. Following a temperature check at registration, guests were free to wander the venue and enjoy our multifaceted event involving art, workshops and more.
The focus on sustainability and clothing was highlighted through the Slow Clothes Swap in the regal Ashbee Hall. Our lovely supporters brought an array of amazing clothes looking for new homes and it was incredible to see guests discover exciting new finds for their wardrobes.
We were lucky to receive submissions from brilliant artists. Featuring embroidery, photography and more, their incredible artwork lit up the space. Some pieces proclaimed powerful statements on identity, others presented intricate, carefully detailed work expressing their heartfelt and often very personal concepts. Some brought a bold, exuberant energy whilst others intrigued as large, sculptural pieces.
Interaction and guest participation is heavily encouraged at RIOT SOUP events. We welcomed submissions of reflections and opinions on clipboards lining the central corridor and provided a creative corner to relax and absorb ideas from the festival.
Part of the venue was set up to screen Unravel (Short 2012). Directed by Meghna Gupta, the film shows the women workers in Panipat, India. A glimpse into the lives of people often hidden from mainstream fashion discourse, we saw and heard the personal testimony of workers marvelling at the piles and piles of clothes sent to be painstakingly sorted and taken apart.
We were keen to provide creative, interactive workshops throughout the day and saw our supporters create beautiful pieces and explore new techniques. The Fashion Screenprinting Workshop led by Hadiyah Hussain inspired guests to create and screenprint highly individual designs.
The Mending Workshop facilitated by our own Lorna Scott outlined original techniques and innovative hacks to breathe new life into treasured pieces and achieve sustainability. Lunch by Lady Lane Kitchen was delicious: we had samosas, spring rolls, pakoras and gorgeous tabbouleh, followed by huge platters of fruit.
Following lunch, there was the Embroidery workshop led by Anna Laviniere. Attendees worked in quiet concentration and stitched wonderful creations. The Floral imprinting workshop facilitated by Aishah Siddiqua taught us how to transfer pigment from flowers and leaves to create vibrant washes of natural colour.
The Slow Clothes Swap ended around 4pm and was followed by the Slow Fashion 1-0-1 Talk by Cynthia Ko, co-founder of Slow Fashion UK. In her eye-opening, informative and interesting talk, Cynthia shared some insightful statistics as well as guidance on sustainable fashion choices.
The festival ended in a flurry of thank yous and gifts as we worked with artists to wind down the exhibition and package their work.
A special mention for Toynbee’s helpful and cheerful support in tidying up after a long but invigorating day.