International exhibition loops, opens at Sunny Bank Mills in Leeds

Loops is a collaborative exhibition between Netherlands based textile artists Gea van Eck, Hanneke van Broekhoven and Monika Loster, and Yorkshire based artists Andi Walker, Hannah Robson and Jane Claire Wilson at the Sunny Bank Mills Art Gallery in Farsley, between Leeds and Bradford.

A large-scale collaborative artwork Loops centres around the theme of cycles, circles and continuums and aims to showcase the artists’ exploration and embracing of the inherent tensions found whilst collaborating. Many months in the making and many miles apart, this is a truly unique celebration of international collaboration and the lasting allure of textiles.

Sunny Banks Mills’ arts director Anna Turzynski said: “Loops is the first international exhibition ever held at Sunny Bank Mills. I am immensely proud that the Gallery has attracted artists of international significance and that they are all working with textiles. It is a testament to our rich textile heritage that the Mills can host such an ambitious exhibition.”

She continued: “In a visual arts context, it is highly unusual to have six artists working together to create a singular artwork. I am so grateful that all six artists have brought such trust, skill and curiosity to the process. I believe the result is remarkable and has totally transformed the Gallery. Loops is contemporary, adventurous, moving and truly worth a visit. This project has given all participants the opportunity to learn and grow, and we look forward to building on our experience and doing similar exhibitions in the future. We are grateful to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Leeds City Council for their joint funding.”

Two of the artists taking part in Loops are Monika Loster and Andi Walker.

Monika is a Polish-born artist based in Amsterdam. Her practice centres on fibre-based works, sculptures and often larger-scale installations built from mesh structures combined with textile elements such as hand-dyed hemp fibres, hessian cloth, rope, and processed tree bark. Monika first came to the Mills in 2023 for a residency, thanks to support from LEEDS 2023, and was so inspired by the ethos and heritage that she experienced that she came back with the germination of an idea that eventually became Loops.

Monika expanded: “The site, and the community that sustains it, draws me back repeatedly. I was drawn to loops of interconnection; how individual actions feed back into a larger whole. From the communal networks at Sunny Bank Mills to the cyclical patterns we see in nature, I wanted to reflect that shared experience. By adding multiple textile layers into mesh structures and layering sculptural elements, I aimed to evoke both continuity and exchange: the way one gesture leads to another, how materials and people influence each other, and how an artwork comes alive through that ongoing dialogue.”

She continued: “What I find most special about Loops is the collaborative process behind our central installation. By weaving our individual works together, we created something that is at once meaningful and playful. Installed in the space between the pillars, it unfolds like an immersive artist’s playground, inviting viewers to explore and engage. Equally inspiring is the diversity of approaches among the textile artists in the show: although we all share a love of fibre, some of us bring highly technical, craft-driven methods, while others focus on sparking dialogue or posing questions for the audience. That blend of technique, concept, and collaboration makes Loops a truly dynamic experience.”

Andi Walker is an artist based in Leeds whose practice falls into three distinct but interconnected fields: materials, ink and cloth. They work with a variety of materials, both hard and soft, and use ink as a medium for drawing and for conceptualising innovative fabrics and garments primarily designed for the human body. Live performances play a crucial role in presenting their work. Storytelling and fostering conversations remain central themes throughout their practice.

Andi said: “My initial inspiration came from the Mills’ connection to textiles and its legacy in cloth production. It was important for me to reference garments and the human body, acknowledging the intimate relationship between fabric and the forms it eventually clothes.”

“One piece in the exhibition is an "unmade suit," a conceptual nod to the Mills’ history of producing high-end suiting fabric. Although the Mills itself never manufactured finished garments, it crafted the raw materials that formed the backbone of this industry. The unmade suit symbolizes this untapped potential, capturing the tension between creation and absence, structure and fluidity.”

They continued: “Collaboration is at the heart of this project, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to share ideas, push creative boundaries, and find unexpected connections in each other’s work. The process reminded me of the power of collective creativity, where the energy and insights of others spark new directions and deeper meanings in my own pieces.

It’s this blending of voices, histories, and perspectives that makes Loops feel truly special – a celebration of creative exchange and artistic growth.”

Loops is open in the Gallery, Sandsgate Building, Sunny Bank Mills, Farsley, LS28 5UJ, Tuesday-Saturday 10-4, Sunday 12-4 until 6th July. Closed on Mondays. FREE ENTRY.