🚉 Public Transport Access
White Bay Power Station, Boiler House, Robert St, Rozelle NSW 2039, Australia
Location: White Bay Power Station, Boiler House, Robert St, Rozelle NSW 2039, Australia
Dates: Friday 20 March – Sunday 14 June
Fridays and Sundays
11 am – 1 pm
Cost: Free, registration required – Book
Needlewomen in the Fields – Guided Embroidery Sessions with Hou I-Ting
Step beyond the finished artwork and become part of the creative process in Hou I-Ting’s participatory installation, Needlewomen in the Fields – When Needles Spark, presented as part of the 25th Biennale of Sydney.
This unique experience invites audiences to actively contribute to an evolving artwork through embroidery and textile-making, blurring the boundaries between artist, process, and viewer.
Be Part of the Artwork
Rather than simply observing, you are invited to sit, stitch, and engage in a shared act of making. Through slow, repetitive handwork, participants experience the rhythm and labour behind textile production — a process that is often hidden in today’s fast-paced consumer culture.
No prior experience is needed. The focus is on mindful participation and connecting with the tactile process of creation.
Session Details
- Days: Fridays & Sundays
- Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Start Date: From 20 March
- Location: White Bay Power Station – Upper Level, Boiler House (Level 3)
What You’ll Do
- Take part in guided embroidery sessions
- Work with printed archival photographs
- Add your own stitches to a growing collaborative artwork
- Learn simple embroidery techniques in a supportive setting
All materials are provided, and friendly staff will be on hand to guide and assist you throughout your session.
Art, Labour & History
Hou I-Ting’s practice explores the intersection of creative expression, labour, and history, particularly the role of women’s work within political and colonial contexts in Taiwan.
By using embroidery — a traditionally gendered craft — the work highlights the time, skill, and human effort behind textile production, while inviting reflection on consumption and visibility.
In this Biennale edition, participants embroider onto archival images connected to Australia’s textile history, symbolically reactivating the production chain and placing audiences within it.
Location & Access
- Enter White Bay Power Station via any entrance
- Take the stairs or lift (centre of the building) to Level 3
- Proceed to the right to reach the installation
- Staff will scan your ticket and assist during your session
Please note: Bathroom facilities are located on the ground floor.
Prepare for Your Visit
To get the most out of your experience, you may wish to familiarise yourself with basic embroidery stitches beforehand via online tutorials — though guidance will be provided during the session.
A Living, Evolving Artwork
Join this rare opportunity to contribute to a living artwork — where every stitch tells a story and every participant becomes part of the narrative.
Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with generous support from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Sydney.
Other Balmain Events in Sydney
25th Biennale of Sydney, Rememory – White Bay Power Station – Balmain, Sydney | 14 March – 14 June 2026
Needlewomen in the Fields— When Needles Spark, Sydney | 20 March – 14 June, 2026
Auslan Art Tours – White Bay Power Station – Rozelle, Sydney | 21 March – 2 May – 13 June, 2026
Related posts:
25th Biennale of Sydney, Rememory – White Bay Power Station – Balmain, Sydney | 14 March – 14 June 2026 
Low Sensory Sessions – White Bay Power Station – Rozelle, Sydney | 22 March – 14 June, 2026 
Memory Lane Markets – White Bay Power Station – Rozelle, Sydney | Saturdays – Sundays, 24 Apr – 14 June, 2026
