NADA Miami 2021

A large-scale textile drawing by Christian Newby, created using a hand-held industrial carpet-tufting gun. His technique of ‘drawing with carpet’ redirects the mass manufacturing function of the tufting gun and instead explores its capacities as a mark-making tool, equivalent to the pencil, spray can, paintbrush or tattoo needle. His works carry an awareness of the anonymity of globalized commercial production in contrast with the skilful mastery of artisanal handicraft. Newby proposes industrial textile process as a structural framework for questioning broader cultural and economic models.