This August, Edinburgh’s Dovecot Studios are hosting two new exhibitions featuring the very best of contemporary jewellery and Scottish textiles along with their current exhibition, Mid-Century Modern: Art and Design from Conran to Quant.
Now in its 37th year, Dazzle Contemporary Jewellery is a major design event in the Edinburgh calendar and is a key platform for established and up-and-coming makers. Dazzle 2020 will feature 50 jewellers showing over 2,000 pieces, which are all available for sale. Beyond jewellery, leading textile designer Margo Selby and printmaker Gillian Murray also feature, allowing a further glimpse into exceptional contemporary design.
Opening on Saturday 22 August, Dazzle will present 50 contemporary jewellery designers and CLOTH#20 will show a selection of fashion and textiles made and curated by Scottish designers.
For the first time since lockdown, Dovecot Studios will fully reopen the world-famous tapestry studio to visitors. From Friday 7 August, visitors can see Dovecot weavers at work on both rugs and tapestries in the award-winning building when the Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony will fully reopen. The viewing balcony is free of charge and allows visitors to see Dovecot weavers at work in the converted Infirmary Street Baths. To learn the art of weaving, Dovecot’s Tapestry Weaving Experience Days return with the first workshop held in August.
Also returning this year is CLOTH, a curated selling showcase of independent makers who design and create works using textiles. This year a limited selection of designers will present their work and demonstrate their practice on the Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony at Dovecot, with further designers selling their work as part of an online event.
Both events will be hosted on 22 and 23 August with 15% of sales donated to The Dovecot Foundation to support the work of Dovecot Tapestry Studio.
With comprehensive safety measures in place, Dovecot aims to make the browsing and shopping experience enjoyable and safe. Gloves will be available for visitors at Dazzle, and all jewellery will be cleaned before and after handling.
Pre-booked time slots are available for both the paidMid-Century Modern exhibitionand for the free Dazzle exhibitionwith half-hour timeslots to choose from.
Opening times
1-21 August: Dovecot Gallery and Shop Mon-Sat 10am-5pm.
Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony Mon-Fri 12-3pm, Sat 10am-5pm.
22 August-12 Sept: Dovecot Gallery and Shop Mon-Sun 10am-5.30pm. Dazzle Mon-Sun 10am-5.30pm.
Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony Mon-Fri 12-3pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm.
CLOTH#20 on the Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony at Dovecot 10am-5pm and online 22-23 August.
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 