MIDDLESBROUGH MOQUETTE
Middlesbrough Moquette Emma Bennett
Middlesbrough Moquette is a series of striking artworks by Emma Bennett, inspired by patterned moquette - a durable woven fabric that is used in upholstery on public transport all over the world.
Moquette fabric is produced using a weaving technique known as jacquard and is typically made of 85% wool and 15% nylon. Introduced in London in the 1920s, moquette patterns were originally produced by manufacturers but since the 1930s, designers have been specially commissioned to create contemporary, bespoke patterns, some of which have come to define specific locations and time periods.
Emma spent a period of research exploring the history of moquette, with visits by rail to the London Transport Museum and York Railway Museum.
After studying designs from the 1920s to present day, she developed her own unique patterns, which reference the architectural features of Middlesbrough railway station, past and present; these include the shape and form of the original elliptical roof that was damaged in 1942 by a German air raid.
Several intricate patterns were hand painted and vibrant colour schemes were devised using heritage shades, seen at the stations of Grosmont, Goathland and Pickering, to reflect local culture and history.
Selected designs were reproduced onto large-scale vinyl which adorn historical windows in Middlesbrough railway station. Metal chairs in Platform 2 waiting room were also covered with patterned vinyl, playfully referencing the use of moquette as a distinctive and familiar seating textile.
Research
These images illustrate some of the material collated from the Moquette Archive in the London Transport Museum, where Emma was able to view a collection of around 400 samples of moquette and over 300 photographs showing how designs have evolved over the past one hundred years.
Initial Drawings
Middlesbrough Railway Station, 1800s. Image courtesy of Teesside Archives
After spending periods of time observing the architecture at the railway station and viewing images from local archives, Emma photographed and documented various features of interest. She then interpreted these details into geometric line drawings and created a series of repeated patterns.
Studio Studies
Emma devised several colour studies for the formulated patterns. Hues from some of the most recognisable and popular moquette fabrics were used as a starting point, eventually arriving at bold tonal schemes, which pay homage to local heritage. The oriental blue, ivory white and tangerine shades of Grosmont, the copper and country cream of Goathland and the heritage greens and beige of Pickering stations, became instrumental in informing the colour palettes for the Middlesbrough Moquette designs.
Middlesbrough Moquette
The final patterns were upscaled and meticulously hand painted to create the series of Middlesbrough Moquette artworks. From these, a selection of designs were chosen to be reproduced onto metal seating and window vinyls for a temporary period in Middlesbrough railway station as part of the Most Creative Station programme.
Emma Bennett grew up in Redcar, Cleveland and studied Fine Art at Teesside University. She lives and works in Middlesbrough. Her art practice centres around colour and architecture and her work ranges from small intimate paintings to large scale site-specific wall paintings. Many of Emma’s artworks reference a nostalgic attachment to places and structures that are often overlooked or neglected. Her work declares the architectural beauty and social importance of these places and buildings.
Middlesbrough Moquette was commissioned for Middlesbrough’s Most Creative Station - a project delivered by Navigator North as members of Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership, and supported through The Cultural Development Fund, a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) fund administered by Arts Council England.
Design : Nic Golightly
Photography : Rachel Deakin
www.emmabennettstudio.co.uk www.navigatornorth.co.uk/mostcreativestation
