Many Hands: The First 40 Years of the Australian Tapestry Workshop
Australian History Local History Art History Crafts & Hobbies Biography & Autobiography Textile Arts Cultural Heritage
Many Hands: The First 40 Years of the Australian Tapestry Workshop is the definitive, large-format hardback that celebrates Australia’s most celebrated weaving atelier. Published in 2016 by HarperCollins and weighing in at nearly a kilo, this 288 mm-tall, fully-illustrated volume delivers a museum-quality experience on every page: lush colour plates let you inspect every warp and weft of iconic tapestries commissioned by artists such as Arthur Boyd, John Olsen, and Lin Onus, while candid workshop photographs and archival sketches reveal the collaborative process that turns painting into textile. For collectors of Australian art, craft and cultural history, it is the only comprehensive record of the Workshop’s first four decades.
Beyond its visual splendour, the book is a compelling social history. It traces the Workshop’s 1976 birth in South Melbourne—inside the former Harcourt’s Parachute Factory—through its evolution into a globally respected tapestry hub whose monumental hangings now grace Parliament House, the Sydney Opera House and international institutions. Chapters spotlight the immigrant weavers who brought European techniques, the Indigenous artists whose stories were translated into wool and silk, and the public-arts patronage that kept the looms humming during economic downturns. The result is a rich narrative that intersects art history, local Melbourne lore and national identity.
Out-of-print hardcover copies in very good, smoke-free condition are increasingly sought after by art libraries, textile practitioners and Australiana collectors. The sturdy dust-jacketed edition stands up to repeated reference beside the loom or coffee-table display, and its authoritative text makes it a perfect gift for young adults exploring craft-based careers or adults curating an Australian art library. Secure this celebratory chronicle now and own the definitive guide to an Australian cultural treasure.
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