20/20 meet the artists: Hannah Sabapathy

"I am an artist whose practice focuses on pattern and colour, born and raised in Birmingham and now based in Dundee.

"I originally trained as a printed textile designer, and I worked for several years in the textile industry. After studying at the RCA my practice shifted to exploring different materials in the creation of a series of sculptural furniture pieces. These were made using a range of techniques including screen printing, lacquering and laser etching. My work combines drawing, screen printing and rudimentary printing techniques to create unexpected collages of patterns. More recently, I have begun to work with metal and vitreous enamels. I often look at historic patterns and techniques. My practice bridges the world of craft, design and art."

"I have recently returned to my practice after being the main carer to my three children and I applied for the 20/20 project to give me the time to develop a practice that really embraces the political in pattern design. I am interested in how the decorative arts and craft have been appropriated and exploited, particularly in relation to Indian textile design. I want to learn in depth about Indian printed textiles as it relates to my own Indian heritage. This is part of a wider personal and professional reclamation and interrogation of identity. 20/20 also provides me with an opportunity to make these patterns and the ideas around them boldly visible."

"I want to discuss ideas of appropriation, ownership and hybridity within the context of pattern design. I will be specifically looking at The Forbes Watson Volumes of Indian Textiles, which are in themselves a collage of patterns.

"The issues surrounding these volumes are complex. Not only are they intertwined with the strands already mentioned but they are also enmeshed in slavery, global trade and local industry. I want to spark conversations about how design was and is colonised and unravel what relevance these ideas still have for us today. I also hope to encourage thoughts about how these patterns can be reclaimed and new collages created."