Rhian Swierat

My work focuses on the recording of memory. I’m fascinated with how memory shifts and changes, how the more you ‘recall’ the stronger the synapse connections in your brain become. I focus on the textures of place and time and also the emotional impressions, senses, experiences that you carry with each memory. I work primarily with embroidery and fiber, using what has historically been seen as craft methods. I use a mix of fibers, both traditional and found fibers. My process through sewing has no shortcuts, I must make every stitch to fill a space. This becomes meditative as I work to recall each memory and distill it into a physical representation. Each piece becomes a conversation between me and the materials. What often starts in one direction will change as the layers build and affect each other.

Rhian Swierat grew up in the Hudson Valley and is now based in Brooklyn, NY. She holds a BFA in graphic design from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her mom taught her embroidery as a child, sharing with her a love of textiles and patterns. A visual magpie at heart, she is always collecting new materials and patterns to sew and experiment with. Her work has been featured in notable shows throughout the United States and internationally.