hannah
zbitnew
zbitnew
sbiten
c. 2024, handwoven cloth, felted material, wood, paper, ink, MDF
Zbitnev 3битнев (Сбитнев). This surname was originally logged as Sbitnev and is derived from sbiten, a hot drink popular in Old Russia made of honey and spices. Note that this term also referred to a "well-fed," "dense," or "strong" individual. The Zbitnevs among the Doukhobors originated in the province of Ekaterinoslav, Russia in the 18th century. English spelling variants include: Zbitnoff, Zbeetnieff, Sbitneff, Sbitnieff, Zbeetnoff, Zbeetneff, Bitnoff, Zbitnew, Zbitneff, Sbitnev, Zbitniff, Zbitniv, Zbitniw, Zbetinoff, Zbetnoff, Sbitney, Sbeetneff.
By lovingly rendering objects exemplifying Doukhobor textile techniques, Hannah Zbitnew examines repetition, folkcraft and the communal archive. Striped herringbone weaver’s belts sit alongside a tryptych of high vis orange jacquard. Material histories are rendered in the acrid colours of 19th century artificial dyestuff. Drawing from her family’s heritage, the work of once-known craftsmen, textile vanguard Lenore Tawney & Jeremy Deller’s Folk Archive, as well as contemporary dress theory, this work serves as a nod to the gestures of weaving and the labour of being a custodian to objects and their histories.
Doukhobor lacework in nylon, 2024
The point of departure for this work begins in 1785, when a dissenting sect of Russian pacifists was christened the Doukhobortsi, or ‘Spirit Wrestlers’, by a disgruntled Orthodox archbishop. Claiming the name as a sign of pride, they spent the next century repeatedly exiled [ex. Turkiye, Ukraine, Georgia, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Moldova] in accordance with the religious reform movement, before finally being sent to the prairies of Saskatchewan in 1899, where they joined Ukrainian and Polish settlers in tilling the land that had long been occupied by the Nêhiyawak (Plains Cree), Nahkawininiwak (Saulteaux), Nakota (Assiniboine), Dakota and Lakota (Sioux), and the Denesuline (Dene/Chipewyan) people.
By lovingly rendering objects exemplifying Doukhobor textile techniques, Hannah Zbitnew examines repetition, folkcraft and the communal archive. Striped herringbone weaver’s belts sit alongside a tryptych of high vis orange jacquard. Material histories are rendered in the acrid colours of 19th century artificial dyestuff. Drawing from her family’s heritage, the work of once-known craftsmen, textile vanguard Lenore Tawney & Jeremy Deller’s Folk Archive, as well as contemporary dress theory, this work serves as a nod to the gestures of weaving and the labour of being a custodian to objects and their histories.
The point of departure for this work begins in 1785, when a dissenting sect of Russian pacifists was christened the Doukhobortsi, or ‘Spirit Wrestlers’, by a disgruntled Orthodox archbishop. Claiming the name as a sign of pride, they spent the next century repeatedly exiled [ex. Turkiye, Ukraine, Georgia, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Moldova] in accordance with the religious reform movement, before finally being sent to the prairies of Saskatchewan in 1899, where they joined Ukrainian and Polish settlers in tilling the land that had long been occupied by the Nêhiyawak (Plains Cree), Nahkawininiwak (Saulteaux), Nakota (Assiniboine), Dakota and Lakota (Sioux), and the Denesuline (Dene/Chipewyan) people.
Their folk craft traditions reflect this movement. Their time in the Javakheti Mountain Range was shown in the embroidered sheen of velvet vests, the diamond knots tied into their rugs seen resting under bed clothes across the Caucasus. The surviving textiles are bright, acidic oranges paired with cold greens, bands of multi-layered geometric symbols with cyrillic text resting on top, billowing double-collared shirts tied with a ribbon.
Girl In Traditional Dress, jacquard, 2024
You can see the ways of life from the Old Country [ies] start to disappear as people assimilate in the 1920s and 30s, thick striped belts securing high-necked jackets traded for 3 piece suits, the interlocking geometric trims giving way to pictorial floral scenes. It’s always a shame to see folk craft relegated to something past, “still”, when it is always alive.
The Doukhobors share the Russian Orthodox tradition of hanging their most intricate handwoven tea towel in pride of place; the main difference being the presence of a religious icon. The Doukhobors have no idols, and so the huckaback linen rests on the wall as a testament to skill, collectivity, and spirit. This work, displayed on the multi-directional figure of a woman in traditional dress, attempts to do the same.
You can see the ways of life from the Old Country [ies] start to disappear as people assimilate in the 1920s and 30s, thick striped belts securing high-necked jackets traded for 3 piece suits, the interlocking geometric trims giving way to pictorial floral scenes. It’s always a shame to see folk craft relegated to something past, “still”, when it is always alive.
The Doukhobors share the Russian Orthodox tradition of hanging their most intricate handwoven tea towel in pride of place; the main difference being the presence of a religious icon. The Doukhobors have no idols, and so the huckaback linen rests on the wall as a testament to skill, collectivity, and spirit. This work, displayed on the multi-directional figure of a woman in traditional dress, attempts to do the same.