It is fascinating how a seed in nature has the potential to become an extraordinary plant. In much the same way, a seed of inspiration can take root within a person and eventually result in an extraordinary work of art.
Amanda McCavour’s latest installation, Double Shadow, is on display in Museum London’s Atrium until March 14, 2027. The work continues her Black and White Studies series and demonstrates both the breadth of her technical skill and her keen observation of the natural world.
Museum London’s open, expansive Atrium is an ideal setting for this installation. Visitors can experience the work from many vantage points—as a whole, in sections, or as individual pieces. Comprising 600 separate elements, the exhibit took nearly a week to install. It can be viewed up close, from a distance, from the sides, and from the two staircase landings, which offer particularly striking views of the full installation. To fully appreciate the work, however, it is best experienced from multiple perspectives.
Amanda is a well-known fibre artist based in Toronto. Much of her work is created by stitching thread onto a water-soluble fabric base that is washed away once the stitching is complete. The process leaves delicate lines of thread that seem to float in space. In the Atrium, both the artificial lighting and the natural daylight streaming through the windows cast overlapping shadows behind many of the works—hence the title, Double Shadow.
While Amanda’s earlier work relied primarily on free-motion machine stitching on water-soluble fabric, this installation expands that approach to include a wider range of fibre techniques. After stitching, often using kilometres of thread, the fabric base is rinsed away, leaving a soft mass of intertwined thread that is then shaped and dried. An example of this shaping process can be seen in Poppies, a detailed piece formed by draping stitched poppy shapes over an inflated balloon.
Amanda’s careful observation and attention to detail allow her to create remarkably lifelike images. With their intricate stitching, many pieces possess the precision of photographs while retaining the softness and movement inherent in fibre. Their organic realism is heightened by the simplicity of the monochromatic palette, which also reinforces the exhibit’s title.
The installation employs a rich diversity of scale, repetition, texture, and form. Circular motifs, for example, draw the viewer’s eye through the exhibit, creating visual connections between sections while encouraging exploration. Each component functions as an individual work of art, yet contributes to the cohesion of the installation as a whole.
The variety of techniques on display is impressive. Amanda works with positive and negative imagery, subtle gradations of grey, and dramatic shifts in scale. She incorporates a range of materials, including felted wool, couched trim, cheesecloth, organza, and net-like structures formed through free-motion stitched grids. Some pieces are composed entirely of machine stitching, while others integrate additional fibres and textiles to create varied surfaces and textures.
In some works, loose thread ends have been carefully trimmed away; in others, they remain, becoming an integral part of the composition. These unrestrained strands introduce movement and reinforce the organic qualities that run throughout the exhibit.
Each piece is distinct, yet each contributes meaningfully to the installation’s larger visual narrative.
A special feature of Double Shadow is a tactile display demonstrating many of the techniques used in the creation of the work. Amanda not only expands the possibilities of fibre art through her practice but also invites viewers into her process. The display includes fifteen samples that visitors are encouraged to examine closely and touch. This hands-on element provides a valuable learning experience and is particularly noteworthy in a medium where touching is usually prohibited. It offers a rare opportunity to better understand the craftsmanship, experimentation, and technical expertise behind this striking installation.
I have lived in SW Ontario my entire life and am a proud Canadian. Family is very important to my hubby and me. I am a lifelong learner and a people person and belong to several local organizations. When I am not stitching, either on my sewing machines or by hand, I am likely exploring our great outdoors or creating in my kitchen
– Deb Gorman-Smith
Amanda McCavour’s Double Shadow is on view at Museum London from May 23, 2026 – March 14, 2027.
Centred is grateful for the support of the London Arts Council in realizing this project.
