R‑Space Gallery is pleased to present ‘Flaxen‘, the first solo exhibition in Northern Ireland by British textile artist Alice Fox, as part of the Linen Biennale Festival.

‘Flaxen’ is a collection of new works by Alice Fox, exploring the flax plant at every stage: from whole dried stems to unspun fibre. The works are woven or otherwise constructed to highlight the plant’s strength and delicacy, resulting in textured, structural pieces across different scales.

Since 2017, Fox has cultivated small plots of flax on her allotment in West Yorkshire, studying how growth and retting conditions affect fibre quality. In 2024, she led a collaborative flax‑growing project at Kestle Barton, Cornwall, cultivating a 200‑square‑metre crop with the help of staff and volunteers. By sowing flax simultaneously at both sites, she created an opportunity to compare environmental impacts 400 miles apart.

The resulting works incorporate flax at various stages and explore both its strength and fragility, offering a textured, structural celebration of this versatile plant.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Alice Fox to Northern Ireland for her first solo exhibition here,” says Meadhbh McIlgorm, Linen Biennale Programme Manager at R‑Space Gallery. “Her work is a rare combination of craft, ecology, and experimentation. Visitors will experience how traditional textile techniques can reveal the beauty and resilience of  plants like flax, while also encouraging reflection on sustainability, environment and our relationship with the material world.”

About Alice Fox

Alice Fox is a UK‑based textile artist whose practice combines found and reclaimed materials with techniques such as stitch, weave, and basketry. With a background in physical geography and nature conservation, her work engages with landscape, materiality, and sustainability. She works from her studio and allotment in Saltaire, England, and exhibits, lectures, and teaches workshops nationally and internationally.

Her publications, including Wild Textiles and new book Wild Weave, explore similar themes of working with natural fibres and materials, reflecting her commitment to experimental and sustainable textile practice.

The exhibition will include an online artist talk on 14 October 2025 at 6pm.

Gallery Opening Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm
Opening Reception: Saturday 27 September, 2–4pm
Admission: Free and all welcome