Thurle Wright's profile
Contact Thurle: thurle@hotmail.com - Instagram
Photos by Anthony Brown (Instagram @shutterant)
The raw materials for Thurle’s delicate paper reconstructions include old school atlases and encyclopaedias, technical handbooks and text books, dictionaries, newspapers, catalogues and story books.
Her approach stems from an interest in the systems and structures of language, in the ordering of knowledge, the collecting of information, the storing and accessing of words. Starting with the look of text on a page and the feel of the paper, Thurle cuts, folds, weaves and stitches lines of words into a new visual format, always related to the sense of the text.
Originally from Zimbabwe, Thurle studied and taught modern languages and literature in Australia and the UK before specialising in visual art. She has a Textiles degree from Goldsmiths College and is based in Folkestone in Kent.
View Thurle's article written by Ali Fogg for the Creative Quarter magazine FolQ Issue 2 - PDF, opens in new window
Education
| 2019 - 2021 | MA Fine Art, University of the Creative Arts, Canterbury |
| 2006 - 2007 | Teacher Artist MA Programme. Research with Inst. of Ed. and LIFT UK |
| 1998 – 2001 | BA(hons) Textiles. Goldsmiths College, University of London |
| 1997 - 1998 | BTEC Foundation in Art and Design. Kensington & Chelsea College |
| 1991 | Diploma of Education. University of Tasmania. Australia |
| 1987 – 1990 | Bachelor of Arts (English, French and German Studies) University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia |
Solo Exhibitions
| June 2021 | 'Home Studio’, a micro-residency/performative exhibition to coincide with Creative Folkestone's Book Festival, 35-37 Gallery, Folkestone |
| Feb 2020 | 'A Goddess' Robe is Seamless'’, an interactive installation for Strange Cargo's Cheriton Lights Festival |
| Feb 2020 | 'Paper Works’, Creek Creative, Faversham, Kent |
| August 2018 | 'Katse Kerk’, Guest artist for Kunstspoor, Nord beveland, Netherlands |
| July-August 2018 | 'Exercise’, Whelkboy Gallery, Folkestone |
| Nov 2016 | 'Chance Encounters’, part of Folkestone Book Festival, Steep Street, Folkestone |
| Jan-Mar 2016 | 'Bookworks’, BREW, Curated exhibition, Folkestone |
| Jan-Mar 2015 | 'Collected Terms’, Financial Conduct Authority, Canary Wharf |
| Aug – Nov 2014 | ‘Shelf Life’. Collaboration with Marrin’s Books. Folkestone |
| Mar- April 2013 | ‘The World Is Round’, Sassoon Gallery, Folkestone, Kent |
| Oct- Nov 2011 | ‘Paper Biology’, installation at Christine Walker Gallery, Caterham |
| Oct 10-Feb 2011 | ‘Ways of Seeing’, The Gallery, Wivenhoe, Essex |
| Jan 2009 | ‘New Cuttings’ Arts and Events exhibition at Canary Wharf, London |
| July 2008 | ‘The Order of Things’, Gallery East, Perth, Australia |
| Mar-Apr 2007 | ‘Lines of Inception’ GX Gallery. Camberwell. London |
| Oct-Nov 2006 | ‘Twist(er)’ Robert Phillips Gallery. Walton-on-Thames. Surrey |
| November 2004 | ‘Folded’, Page 2. East Dulwich. London |
Selected Group Exhibitions
| 2024 |
'The Story of Place; Folkestone to London' with Maria Smith and Robyn Neild, to co-incide with London Craft Week, Jaggedart Gallery, Marylebone 'Collect' Crafts Council Fair represented by Jaggedart, Somerset House, London |
| 2023 |
'The Story of Place' with Robyn Neild and Maria Smith, Folkestone Gallery 'Cinque Creative' with James Marsh, Steven Thompson, Brian Oxley. Folkestone Gallery 'Collect' Crafts Council Fair, represented by Jaggedart at Somerset House, London |
| 2022 | 'Woven Stories' 2 person show with Kazuhito Takadoi, Jaggedart, Marylebone 'Collect' Crafts Council Fair, represented by Jaggedart at Somerset House, London |
| 2021 |
'Artefact' Craft and Design fair with Jaggedart, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour 'Art Law Society' curated exhibition at the Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, London 'Tense' 3 person show at 35-37 Gallery, Folkestone 'CraftingaDifference' curated by Brian Kennedy, with Jaggedart. SoShiro House, London 'Collect' Crafts Council art fair. Represented by Jaggedart. Online 'Platform' curated by Candida Stephens and Andrea Harari, London Art Fair. Online |
| 2020 |
'Collect' Crafts Council fair represented by Jaggedart, Somerset House, London 'A Goddess' Robe is Seamless' an interactive installation for Strange Cargo's Cheriton Lights Festival 'On the Same Page' Jaggedart, Marylebone. London 'Out of Isolation' curated exhibition of work by students and alumni of UCA Canterbury 'Wayne Reeves Gallery' curated exhibition of work by local artists, Folkestone |
| 2019 |
'Art in The Park' project for Dover Arts Development at Kearsney Abbey, Dover 'In Between', Jaggedart, Marylebone 'Cabinet of Curiosities III', Jaggedart, Marylebone 'Collect', curated Crafts Council fair with Jaggedart, Saatchi Gallery, London |
| 2018 |
'A Cabinet of Curiosities II' Jaggedart, Marylebone, London 'Moody Blues', Jaggedart, Marylebone, London 'Turn the Page', Installation for Bookarts Fair, Norwich Forum, Norwich Decorative Antiques and Textile Fair, with Jaggedart, Battersea, London Law Society Art Show, Chancery Lane, London |
| 2017 |
'All Inked Up' Kent international Artist Book Fair, UCA Canterbury and Brewery Tap 'WayFarers', two person show with Malcolm Allen, Whelkboy Gallery, Folkestone ‘Flourish’, Jaggedart, Marylebone, London ‘Between The Sheets’, Book Arts at Gallery East, Perth, touring to Australian Galleries, Mebourne ‘Elastic Fantastic’, part of the Normal? Festival of the Brain, Whelkboy Gallery, Folkestone ‘Works on Paper Print Exhibition’, Byard Art, Cambridge ‘Meanwhile’, a mixed-media exhibition curated by Canterbury Christ Church Fine Art Students in partnership with Threads, at Strange Cargo, Folkestone |
| 2016 |
‘The Marsh She Knows’, for Art in Romney Marsh, St Mary the Virgin, St Mary’s in the Marsh, Romney Marsh ‘Beached’, part of the SALT Festival, Whelkboy Gallery, Folkestone ‘Swing & Swirl’, two-person show, Jaggedart, Marylebone ‘Wish You Were Here’, BREW, Folkestone ‘Texture Narratives’, Kent artists, curated by Ivana Blaskova from the University of Kent, at Viking Gallery, Margate ‘On the Same Page’, Bookarts at Jaggedart, London |
| 2015 |
‘Shelf Life’, part of "CleyContemporary 15: Marvellous in Ordinary", curated art festivel, North Norfolk ‘Between the Sheets’, Bookarts exhibition curated by Gallery East, Central Perth, WA |
| 2014 | ‘Seeafar’, Folkestone Triennial Fringe. Group show with 5 others. Old Ferry Waiting Room,
Folkestone Harbour, Folkestone Then at Deptford X contemporary arts Festival ‘As Ithers See Us’ Group show of international Contemporary artists. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, National Trust for Scotland, Ayr, Scotland ‘Awakenings’ Jaggedart, Marylebone, London ‘Once Upon a Book’, Byard Art, Cambridge ‘Where we Are Now’, Georges House Gallery, Folkestone |
| 2013 | ‘All Things White and Beautiful’, Victor Felix Gallery, London ‘Paper Cut’, Mundaring Arts Centre, West Australia ‘Summer Show’ Jaggedart, Marylebone, London ‘Writing on the Wall’, Byard Art, Cambridge ‘Great Little Works’, Gallery East, Perth, Australia ‘More than Words’, Jaggedart, Marylebone, London ‘Between the Sheets’; Artists’ Books, Gallery East, Australia |
| 2012 | ‘Journeys’, Jaggedart, Marylebone, London ‘Deptford X’; selected contemporary visual arts festival, London ‘Heavy Papers’, Gallery Merkur, Istanbul |
| 2011 |
‘Modified Expression’ National Craft Council of Ireland ‘Sensing Place’, V&A Museum of Childhood, London, touring to The Harley Gallery, Nottinghamshire ‘Degust Art’ Exposition des Artistes Europeans, La Coupole, Paris |
| 2010 | ‘Paper Works’, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney ‘Set of Odd Volumes’, Coexist Arts, Southend, Essex ‘Cut and Fold; the art of paper’, New Brewery Arts, Cirencester |
| 2009 | ‘Ornament’, Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, Suffolk ’Le Livre est un Oeuvre D’Art’ International Book Art exhibition, Artvitam, Aigues-Mortes, France Book Arts Exhibition, Silkeborg Art Centre, Denmark ‘Unfolding’. Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk, Lancashire Book Arts Triennial. Vilnius. Lithuania ‘Paper Trails’ Byard Art Gallery, Cambridge |
| 2008 | ‘The Open West’. Cheltenham Gallery and Museum, Gloucestershire ‘Material Worlds’. Vital Arts. London Hospital Exhibition, Whitechapel. |
| 2007 | ‘Guildford Exhibition 08’ Annual invited exhibition. Perth, Australia ‘Pfister Gallery Project’ Standpoint Gallery. Hoxton. London ‘Artevisa’. Lonquivy sur Mer. Brittany. France. ‘On the Map’. North House gallery (4 person show). Essex |
| 2005-2002 | ‘Composite’ (2 person show) Surgery gallery. Nunhead. ‘Invited, invited’ Installation in the Old Auction Rooms, Nunhead. ‘Write Off’. Southwark Literary Festival. Corsica Studios. El & Castle. ‘SV04’ Studio Voltaire members’ show. Clapham. ‘Fleet’; Public Art installation. Southwark Town Hall, Camberwell. ‘Temporary/Contemporary’. Old Seagar Distillery. Deptford. ‘Camberwell Green Beacon’. Cardboard Lighthouse project with Camberwell Arts funded by Neighbourhood Renewal. Camberwell. ‘Common Fields’. The Florence Trust. Highbury Fields. ‘Sartorial’. England & Co Gallery. Westbourne Grove. ‘Peckham Library Project’. Installation involving 20 community groups and 4000 cubes. For Camberwell Arts’ Week, Peckham. ‘Speaking Volumes’. Stroud House Gallery. Stroud. ‘Take Me Home’ (3 person show). House Gallery, Camberwell. ‘Mint’ (new grads from St Martins & Goldsmiths). Upper Street, Islington |
Art Fairs
| Recent | Representation since 2016 by Jaggedart London at various fairs including Collect, The London Art Fair, London Design Week and Artefact. |
| 2016 | Art on Paper, New York - with ArtVitam Palm Springs Fine Art Fair – with ArtVitam Context – New York – With ArtVitam London Art Fair, Islington, London – with Jaggedart, London |
| 2015 | Art on Paper – Miami – with ArtVitam London Art Fair, Islington, London – with Jaggedart, London |
| 2014 | ArtHamptons, with ArtVitam, Bridgehampton, NY AAF New York, with ArtVitam, NY AAF Brussels, With ArtVitam Palm Springs Art Fair, Palm Springs Convention Centre, USA Art Palm Beach. Palm Beach County Convention Centre, USA London Art Fair, Islington, London |
| 2013 | ‘Art on Paper’, with Art Vitam, Brussels Affordable Art Fair, with Cavalierofinn, Battersea, London London Art Fair, with Jaggedart, Islington, London |
| 2012 | ‘Art Contemporain Mulhouse’, with Art Vitam, Mulhouse, France ‘Art Nim’, with Art Vitam, Foire d’Art Contemporain, Nimes, France London Art Fair, with Jaggedart, Islington, London |
| 2011 and 2006 | Affordable Art Fairs.with Byard Gallery, London and Brussels Art London, with Quantum Contemporary, Chelsea, London Book Arts Fair. Leipzig, Germany Glasgow Art Fair, with Red Gallery, Glasgow. Scotland Art on Paper Fair, with Red Gallery. Royal College of Art. Kensington. London Art Fair, with Quantum. Business and Design Centre. Islington. |
Selected Residencies and Education Projects
| May 2019 | Bookarts workshop for Norwich Bookarts festival |
| June 2018 and 19 | Three day Schools' project with Block 67 for Creative Folkestone |
| June 2018 | Artist in Residence, Saltwood School |
| August 2017 | 'Little Word Weaving', Family workshop, V&A Museum of Childhood |
| June 2017 | 'Transitions', Mundella School. Part of Research project for Canterbury Christchurch University |
| May 2017 | 'Once upon a Piece of Paper', Family workshop, Royal Academy |
| March 2017 | Pyramid sculptures, Block 67, Creative Foundation, Folkestone |
| August 2017 | Little Word Weaving, V&A Museum of Childhood Summer Workshop |
| May 2017 | Once Upon A Piece of Paper, Royal Academy of the Arts Family Workshop, London |
| April 2017 | Paper Art, Family Drop-In Workshop, for the Creative Foundation, Block 67, Folkestone |
| Mar 2017 | Older Women Rock, a community arts project in collaboration with Leah Thorne as part of the WOW Festival, Folkestone |
| March 2016 | Story-building Box Project – with The Discover Centre – Stratford, East London – working with five schools and hosting family days |
| August 2013 | ‘Nunhead Tales’, giant sculpture for Southward Festival Literacy drive | Sep-Oct 2011 | Artist in Residence and Exhibition at Christine Walker Gallery, Caterham School, Surrey. | July 2011 | ‘Stratford Box Project’ for ‘ShedSpace’. 1000 box structure built in Stratford town centre, sponsored by Stratford Rising Consortium and Stratford Circus. | Feb-May 2011 | ‘Peep Into My World’ school arts programme/teachers’ INSET and exhibition with Chisenhale Gallery & Tower Hamlets Extended Services | April 2011 | Girls’ Aspirational Workshops for Creative Partnerships. West Hatch School, Essex. | August 2010 | ‘Great Southwark Story Wall’. Community Project for Southwark libraries and Southwark Festival. | Feb-Apr 2010 | ‘Making Space; Sensing place’ 3month research fellowship in India and Bangladesh (V&A Museum of Childhood, Harley Museum, A Fine Line, Arts Council England) | Feb – May 2009 | ‘Don’t Box Me In’. Collaborative project funded by Tower Hamlets Extended Services with 25 schools ending in exhibitions at the V&A Museum of Childhood and the London Museum at Docklands. | May-June 2008 | Guest Lecturer, Curtin University, Perth, WA | May- July 2008 | Artist in residence, Perth Central School of Art and Design, WA | Feb April 2008 | Artist in residence, Fremantle Arts Centre, Western Australia | Sep-Nov 2007 | Intergenerational Project; Rydens School and Elmbridge Day Centre, with the Robert Phillips Gallery, Surrey. | May – August 2007 | Artist in Residence. Guildford Grammar School. Perth. Australia | April 2007 | A-level collaborative sculpture project. Crownwoods High School, Greenwich. | Feb 2007 | Brentford CLC Residency. Hounslow consortium. 3 A-level groups worked together to produce a semi-permanent wall installation. | January 2007 | Guest Lecturer. Croydon College. | June 2006 | Rotherhithe Boat. Life-size boat made from packing boxes, made collaboratively by local community. Rotherhithe Festival | Feb-Mar 2006 | Artist in Residence. The Green School for Girls. Isleworth. | Nov/Dec 2005 | Richard Atkins School Residency. Creative Partnerships/Studio Voltaire | Sept 2005 | Lambeth in the Future publication. | July 2005 | Expressions of an Adolescent Mind. Stockwell Park High School at SV. | May - July 2004 | Dulwich Picture Gallery Project with ‘Endymion’ and Kingsdale School. | Jan – June 2004 | ‘Taking Part II ’ – for PEAZ. Livesy Museum for Children, London. | May – Aug 2003 | ‘Taking Part’ Cumin Museum, Southwark, London. | Jan – April 2003 | Artist in Residence – Spitalfields Development Trust. |
Collections
Work is held in various collections including the Brisbane State Library and private collections in UK, Australia, Europe and USA.