How do artists use fabric to deconstruct historical power structures?

Artists have long employed fabric as a powerful medium to interrogate and dismantle historical power structures. Through textiles, they weave narratives that challenge dominant histories, expose silenced voices, and reimagine cultural identities. Fabric’s tactile, everyday nature makes it an accessible yet profound tool for subversion—whether through quilts that memorialize marginalized communities, embroidered protests against colonial legacies, or installations repurposing oppressive uniforms.

By manipulating materials like burlap, silk, or recycled clothing, artists reclaim agency over representation. For instance, some use traditional weaving techniques to honor indigenous knowledge while critiquing erasure, while others stitch political texts into fragile fabrics to highlight systemic fragility. The very act of repurposing textiles—once tied to labor and gender hierarchies—becomes a metaphor for dismantling oppressive systems.

From the AIDS Memorial Quilt to contemporary fiber art confronting racism, fabric serves as both witness and weapon in artistic resistance. Its intimacy demands engagement, inviting viewers to touch, unravel, and question the threads of history. In this way, artists transform cloth into a dynamic site of memory, protest, and reclamation.