The Work of Salts

This interesting oil and acrylic canvas called 'The Work of Salts' (2018) hangs in the People and Process Gallery in Salts Mill. It is by London-based artist Alke Schmidt, part of her Wonder and Dread project, which 'explores the politics and morality of global textile supply chains and situates Bradford's wool industry in an international context'. Against the backdrop of Salts Mill's long south elevation, Victorian female mill workers share the space with Peruvian women and their alpacas, the source of the wool that was to make Sir Titus Salt's fortune. He himself can be seen in the upper left corner, with a lady that I presume is his wife Caroline. A Victorian child with two Victorian ladies in their huge crinolines and cloaks refer to the clothing that could be made from the fine, lustrous cloth the mill produced. Also creeping in are Burmantofts pottery vases and the lilies that are always displayed in the 1853 Gallery, filling the air with their heady scent.

The artist is quoted as saying: 'The Mill left such a strong impression on me: its remarkable history of vision, hope and hard work; its visual impact; its great spirit and energy; its beautiful Victorian alpaca dress fabrics; the scent of lilies in the 1853 Gallery; and especially the people whose work has made Salts Mill a success then and now.'