About the Artist
All small things must evolve slowly…in a quiet room
The Poetics of Space, Gaston Bachelard, 1964
I recommend Caren Garfen’s work without any hesitation, and her work on the Holocaust is astonishing.
Jo Andrews, Founder of Haptic & Hue, former British Television Journalist
Caren Garfen is an award-winning artist specialising in textiles and painstaking hand stitching creating carefully considered pieces with profound messages. She seeks out commonplace objects which become potent devices when placed side by side with her meticulous craft.
Caren's interest has been in gender politics and women’s issues in the twenty-first century. She has concentrated on specific themes such as work/life balance and dieting/the body. For four years she researched and created artworks relating to the devastating world of eating disorders. However, in 2019, Caren changed direction and is now researching the Holocaust, and examining the shattering rise in global antisemitism. As is her approach, she will delve into all areas of enquiry, trying, once again, to make sense of our complex and problematic world.
Caren has established an international reputation for her accessible yet challenging issue-based art. Her work has been exhibited widely in the UK and Europe, as well as in Japan, USA, Canada and Australia, and can be found in public and private collections.
I believe that to truly understand the Holocaust and the history of antisemitism, we must address the current rise in anti-Jewish racism. It is necessary to approach this from a fresh, relatable angle that resonates with a modern-day audience. My work, rooted in history, is academically rigorous and based on detailed research. Caren Garfen
Minute writing is emblematic of craft and discipline; while the materiality of the product is diminished, the labor involved multiplies, and so does the significance of the total object. On Longing, Susan Stewart, 1993
Recognition
Caren Garfen’s work is a remarkable translation of meticulous research into meticulous outcomes. Working in the most painstaking hand-stitch, she re-presents this information in a manner that is direct, understandable and completely humane in her use of the tools and the domestic/work garment. Professor Lesley Millar, Cloth & Memory 2