Viscose satin
85 x 85cm

Liverpool Biennial is delighted to announce the release of a scarf made from an environmentally sustainable alternative to silk. The scarf features a detail of Linder’s commission Bower of Bliss (2021) from the 11th edition of Liverpool Biennial.

For Liverpool Biennial 2021, Linder was commissioned to produce a street-level billboard Bower of Bliss (2021) within Liverpool ONE. The centuries old phrase “Bower of Bliss” has been used across literature to signify the birthplace and point of origin. For the poet Edmund Spenser, it meant “womb”. For Linder, the connotations link back to her experience of being carried in her mother’s womb in Liverpool in 1954. Her billboard commission presented the “Bower of Bliss” as a safe space, something that is needed now more than ever. The photomontage was made up of images from Liverpool archives and also from Linder’s own collection.

The edition is made using a blend of 45% Viscose and 55% Spun Rayon which are both created with sustainable organic substances and act as an environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional silk. The company that produced the scarf carry out Oeko-Tex, Bluesign and GOTS testing on their inks and fabrics to ensure they are safe for customers and the environment.

The accompanying embossed presentation box has been made with 99% recycled paper. Both the box and scarf have been produced and finished in the UK. Liverpool Biennial has also worked with Linder to develop a series of matching greetings cards, available for sale online here.

Linder (b. 1954, Liverpool, UK) lives and works in London, UK. Linder is internationally renowned for her radical feminism. She uses photography, photomontage and performance to critique past and contemporary gender roles, specifically the representation of women. Fashion, music and performance are important features in her work, often referencing her background in the 1970s punk and post-punk scenes. As part of her investigations into women’s history, Linder researches archives and develops displays championing underrepresented voices. Linder is the recipient of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award, UK (2017). Recent exhibitions include Kettle’s Yard, UK (2020) Nottingham Contemporary, UK (2018); Art on the Underground, UK (2018); Glasgow Women’s Library, UK (2018); and Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France (2013).

Linder, ‘Bower of Bliss’, 2021. ©Robin Clewley