Su Richardson British, b. 1947
Broken Heart Rug, 1982
Wool, cotton and lurex
100 x 160 cm approx.
‘Broken Heart Rug’ (1982) is very straightforward, cathartic work, created when Su had a broken heart and desperately wanted it to mend. Formed of wool, cotton and lurex in various...
‘Broken Heart Rug’ (1982) is very straightforward, cathartic work, created when Su had a broken heart and desperately wanted it to mend. Formed of wool, cotton and lurex in various hues of red, the rug features gloved arms - a prominent and recurring theme in Richardson’s work - comforting a pinned and plastered heart. The work was made in the early ‘80s using a looped stitch invented by Su, which over time did not hold and the rug eventually unraveled. Richardson revisited the rug in early 2020 during the UK’s period of lockdown brought on by the international outbreak of Covid-19 and decided to repair it, this time using a proper loop stitch which she taught herself to do online.