@shanswinburn
Utilising speculation, counterfactual histories, and material storytelling, Swinburn’s work foregrounds the historically overlooked contributions of women in emergent technology. Her practice uses archival research in order to draw connections between textile processes and early forms of computing – revealing how the skilled labour of women has often been foundational to technological progress, yet has frequently been overlooked.
Working across weaving, metalwork, and physical computing, Swinburn creates speculative artefacts that reinterpret historical narratives embedded within the histories of computation, astronomy, and scientific labour.
Translating archival data in material form, and reconstructing hidden histories, in order to reframe how technological knowledge is remembered.
Selected Group Exhibitions:
The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial
Saatchi Gallery
(2026)
Clutch City Craft
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
(2026)
Sincerely
Sarabande Foundation
(2025)
Pinpoint
Sarabande Foundation
(2025)
House of Bandits x Selfridges
Selfridges
(2025)
Awards and Residencies include:
The Weavers’ Award - Cockpit
(2025-2026)
The Sarabande Foundation Studio Residency
(2024-2025)
The Blackhorse Workshop Residency
(2024)
The Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation Prize
(2024)
The Textile Society Student Bursary Award
(2024)
The Haberdashers’ Scholarship RCA
(2023)
Education:
MA Textiles, Royal College of Art
BA Graphic Design, Central Saint Martins