Barrow’s 80-Image Toile de Jouy Celebrates Local Life and Landmarks
An expansive fabric artwork featuring 80 Barrow-in-Furness images celebrates the town’s people, places, and culture, now on display at Theatre Factory’s Cookes Building.
A giant fabric artwork brings Barrow-in-Furness to life, weaving the town’s stories into a single, striking textile. Created by two local artists for Theatre Factory, the piece now hangs at the Cookes Building on Abbey Road.
What the artwork shows
The toile de Jouy style, originally a printed fabric from 18th-century France, is reimagined here with 80 images rather than the traditional nine. The design celebrates the people, places, and moments that define Barrow.
- Chewie the Chewitsaurus, from the 1980s Chewits TV advert filmed in Barrow
- An Arctic tern, a seabird often seen around Walney Island
- The Bon Bon sweet shop, once run by Betty Wilkinson and Wynn Dawson
- Dave Day, a tribute to Hairy Biker Dave Myers, who passed away in February 2024
- Barrow AFC and Barrow Raiders rugby club
- Barrow Underground Music Society
The artwork forms the backdrop to Theatre Factory's year-long drama festival, IF! Inclusion, and is also being reproduced on cushions, tote bags, and makeup bags.
"A friend of mine burst into tears when she saw it; she wants it made into curtains," said Mrs Evans. "I am making a dress from it because I love it that much."
The two artists first met in Barrow Sixth Form College in 1993, when they studied textiles together.
Mrs Evans added: "It's really lovely to work together. We are thrilled with how the piece turned out. It feels like a fitting tribute to this great town. It’s like an I-Spy challenge when you look at the fabric—there is so much to discover."
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Expert comment
Local arts expert notes that the large textile captures Barrow’s spirit and demonstrates how community art can thrive in public spaces. The design invites residents and visitors to explore hidden details and revisit it often.
Summary
This enormous fabric piece celebrates Barrow’s people, places, and culture through 80 carefully chosen images. It serves as a backdrop for Theatre Factory’s IF! Inclusion festival and will appear on everyday items such as cushions and bags. The collaboration between Evans and Humberstone, who met as students decades ago, adds a personal touch to a broader town tribute.
Its enduring appeal lies in inviting the community to discover new details each time they look. The artwork stands as a contemporary celebration of Barrow that blends art with local pride.
Key insight: The 80-image toile de Jouy turns Barrow’s everyday life into a shared cultural tapestry, highlighting local pride through art. BBC News
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