Discover the distinctive work of Tadek Beutlich MBE, a visionary textile artist, printmaker and teacher at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft.
Tadek Beutlich MBE (1922 – 2011) was a visionary textile artist, printmaker and teacher, renowned for his extraordinary tapestries, textile constructions and large vivid relief prints from the 1960s and 1970s. In 2025, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft will present the first institutional exhibition dedicated to his work in the UK for over 25 years.
Strikingly large works created in his Ditchling studio in the late 1960’s will take centre stage in this retrospective, including Dream Revealed (1968), an eight-foot-tall weaving created using unspun jute, mohair and horsehair, which has not been seen since it was shown in Switzerland at the Lausanne Textile Biennale in 1969.
Intricate freestanding off-loom pieces and vibrant relief prints made using tree sections, Lycra and foam rubber will also be exhibited, showcasing the breadth and variety of Beutlich’s extensive career.
Polish-born Beutlich had a distinctive style and approach which challenges the usual definitions of craft categorisation. As an artist, weaver and tapestry maker he would sometimes make prints and textiles using the same imagery, yet he believed that to plan out a tapestry or weaving by sketching it with pencil on paper was to do a disservice to the material that he worked with. This complex relationship between fine arts and craft has much to do with his early years as a student – Beutlich was profoundly influenced by one of his teachers at art school in Poland who taught him “not to think just do it”, an ethos which resonated throughout his career.
Beutlich's bold, innovative approach to materials, coupled with his fearless experimentation, gave him countless artistic lives - each of which will be showcased in this exhibition. Also on display will be examples of Beutlich’s avant-garde open-weave hangings, incorporating materials such as charred wood, horsehair, and x-ray film. A new commission by basket maker Tim Johnson will also be displayed in the Introductory Gallery. Tim will also lead two workshops about Beutlich’s techniques during the exhibition.
Tadek Beutlich: On and Off the Loom offers a rare opportunity to explore the ground-breaking work of a master of textiles and printmaking, while celebrating his lasting influence on the world of craft.
Tadek Beutlich: On and Off the Loom is presented in partnership with Emma Mason Gallery, who hold the Tadek Beutlich archive and has been supported by the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers'
Listings
Tadek Beutlich: On and Off the Loom: 18 January – 22 June 2025
Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, Lodge Hill Lane, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8SP.
Opening times: Wednesday – Sunday 10:30am to 5pm.
Tickets: Ditchling Museum Trust - Art Tickets