Solus embraced

During the past decade, embroidery has emerged as a significant facet of Liam Benson’s practice. Inspired by childhood memories of his Scottish grandmother sewing and camp outfits worn by Drag Queens in inner city nightclubs, his use of this gendered handicraft is deeply personal and a defiant celebration of queer culture. Benson’s embroideries encompass tambour frames, national flags and maps, and items of clothing. He has also made embroideries in collaboration with fellow artists, his family and regional communities.

'Solus embraced' is a suspended sheet of tulle, featuring a technicolour bead and sequin pattern that was designed in collaboration with Benson’s toddler nephew during the pandemic. 'Solus embraced' evolved out of Benson’s map series of embroideries but instead of charting the centre and periphery of a defined territory, it plots a rhizomatic web of queer cultural experiences and intergenerational points of view; one could interpret it as a joyous expression of overcoming social, cultural and geographic marginalisation.