http://www.stampandcoin.co.uk FEBRUARY 2016 17A new exhibition entitled ‘Unstitching the Uniform’ is now open in our
Search Room, inspired by, and including objects from, our recent community
project with The Amies, writes Emma Harper, Exhibitions Officer. This
group of ten trafficked women were brought together by PAN Arts and
The Poppy Project, an organisation providing support, advocacy and
accommodation for trafficked women.
During the project, the group investigated the design history of the postal
service; a particular favourite focus became the huge variety of ever-changing
uniforms worn by postal workers. Inspired by their own experiences and the
objects and stories explored, the group responded in creative ways, including
sewing their own versions of key uniform items from our collection, and
collaborating with the artist Ella Phillips from October Gallery and textiles
facilitator Susie Foster. It is this work that formed the inspiration and basis for
the ‘Unstitching the Uniform’ exhibition.
From cloth caps to hessian bags, uniform has always been designed for durability,
protection and identification and this theme is explored throughout the exhibition
using original objects from BPMA’s collection such as caps, badges and telegram
pouches. Also featured are those workers who pioneered a change in uniform, from
Jean Cameron’s call for postwomen’s trousers to Mr Sant Singh Saneet’s successful
campaign for the turban to become an accepted item of headgear.
Alongside the objects and archival images are art installations by Ella Phillips and
Susie Foster. Susie has created a jacket and skirt inspired by both the postwoman’s
uniform and the design work of The Amies during workshop sessions. Ella charts
the progress of The Amies throughout the project, telling some of their remarkable
stories. Included on display is a pouch sewn by one of the group, similar to one
used by a Post Office telegram messenger boy.
We do hope you’ll come along to see this exhibition during our opening hours to
follow The Amies on their journey, unravelling stories held within our collection,
and to see the work that they inspired.For more information about other amazing social enterprises involving the Amies
group, visit http://www.flowerpress.org...delivering The Postal Museum
Our regular guide from the
British Postal Museum &
Archive as it works to open
The Postal MuseumUnstitching the Uniform
Stamp update
Unstitching the Uniform
until 30 June 2016
The British Postal Museum and Archive, Freeling
House, Phoenix Place, London, WC1X 0DLMail Obsession: A Journey Round Britain by Postcode
with Mark Mason
11 February 2016
Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London, WC1X 0DLAdmission charge: £
per person, £2.50 for
concessions (60+).
Free for accompanied
children under twelve
years old.Mark Mason talks
about his book Mail
Obsession, in which
he unearths at least
one piece of trivia
from each of the UK’s
postcode areas, from
AB to ZE. He discovers
what the Queen
keeps in her handbag, why the
Jack Russell has a white coat and how Jimi Hendrix
got confused by the M1. He also explores the history
of mail in general, including Oscar Wilde’s unusual
method of posting letters.Events & exhibitions
keeps in her handbag, why theUnstitching the Uniformp17 Stamp update BPMA.indd 17 21/12/2015 09: