Mala May
My work inhabits a space where language and craft intertwine.
By embedding text into the lace — often informal, sometimes unexpected — I shift the role of the crochet from passive ornament to active voice.
UNBOTHERED
CRYBABY
The words interrupt the delicacy of the pattern, drawing attention rather than fading into the edges. The words are intentionally difficult to read, requiring the viewer to work through the layers of pattern and language to uncover the message beneath.
Crochet, for me, is both a meditative practice and a personal connection to tradition. It offers a sense of calm and continuity — a quiet rhythm that links me to generations of women whose work, though ever-present in domestic life, has so often gone unrecognised.
In this work, I use filet crochet, a technique historically associated with decorative home textiles — doilies, lace curtains, tablecloths — objects meant to beautify a space while remaining in the background.
IT'S A LOT
I’m drawn to the contrast between that traditional subtlety and the directness of the language I incorporate into each piece.
It’s this interplay between softness and strength, tradition and assertion, that continues to shape my practice.