About the Artist

All small things must evolve slowly…in a quiet room

The Poetics of Space, Gaston Bachelard, 1964

Caren Garfen is an award-winning artist renowned for her meticulous hand stitching and thought-provoking work. She transforms everyday objects into powerful symbols, carefully crafting pieces that convey profound messages.

Caren's artistic practice has long focussed on gender politics and women’s issues in the 21st century, exploring themes such as work-life balance and body image. For four years, she extensively researched and created artworks addressing the harrowing reality of eating disorders. In 2019, she shifted her focus to the Holocaust and the alarming rise in global antisemitism. True to her approach, she delves deeply into these subjects, striving to make sense of an increasingly complex and problematic world.

Caren has gained international recognition for her accessible yet challenging issue-based art. Her work has been widely exhibited across the UK, Europe, Japan, the USA, Canada and Australia, is held in public and private collections, and has been featured in many publications.

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

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