Selvedge Issue 132: Legacy

This issue, explores legacy: the things we inherit that shape who we are and help us understand our place in the world. Objects matter, yet legacy can be a burden as well as a blessing. The Bayeux Tapestry will be on display in London for the first time in 900 years, as humanity finds itself at a crossroads amid the looming presence of artificial intelligence. We examine how museums shoulder the responsibility of caring for the objects that document our shared history; how value is assigned to objects; the politics of authenticity; and how objects move from a utilitarian domain to the museum.

Kim Winter explores the journey of willow baskets from the domestic sphere to the Design Fair, with Eddie Glew. Laura Ayala, Karen Selk, and Liz McLellan reject the trappings of modernity and look to nature for more human-centred alternatives, while Sonia Ashmore paints a nuanced picture of the lives of handloom artisans in Bengal. John Alexander Skelton re-examines the legacy of the Huguenot weavers of Spitalfields through the lens of contemporary fashion in his collection XXI.