Under Construction - Odette Campbell

Exhibition Dates: Friday 16th October 2026 - Sunday 1st November 2026 Odette Campbell is a Black Country–based fibre artist working primarily in Bargello needlepoint. Her practice explores architecture, labour, memory and the politics of pattern, drawing influence from Bridget Riley, Black Country Type and Anni Albers. Earlier this year, Seventh Circle hosted Renaissance, our open call inviting artists to explore transformation and the fearless pursuit of a new chapter, whether personal, technical or cultural. We encouraged works that embraced moments of restart, the thrill of leaving a comfort zone, and the innovative spirit of the human condition. We selected Odette Campbell as our winner. Her response to the theme stood out immediately: bold, conceptual, and rooted in a practice mid‑shift. Her Bargello embroidery captured the essence of Renaissance, taking on the familiar architecture of Digbeth with a fresh, experimental energy. As part of the prize, Odette was awarded a solo exhibition and private view at Seventh Circle. Under Construction is the result, a body of work shaped by the very transformation that earned her the award. Under Construction A city is never finished, and neither is a practice or a person. Under Construction marks a pivotal moment in Odette Campbell’s evolution, reimagining the historical language of Bargello embroidery through the lens of Black Country and Birmingham architecture. Working with flat stitches that build geometric, wave like patterns, Odette draws from Renaissance origins while grounding her practice firmly in the industrial present. Brutalist structures, clean lines and the visual weight of local architecture become softened, warmed and reinterpreted through stitch. Colour merges and shifts, creating movement where solidity once stood. During the making of her Renaissance submission, Odette allowed herself to drop stitches, reveal canvas and loosen precision. This shift opened a new direction in her practice. Under Construction reflects this step change, a conversation between growth and decay, structure and softness, labour and memory. It challenges the political boundary between fine art and applied craft, reclaiming embroidery as a site of conceptual and architectural thinking. Her works move between Birmingham, the Black Country and historical references from Parham House, stitching together a visual language that is both contemporary and deeply rooted. Visitors are invited to reconsider embroidery not as a passive domestic craft, but as a dynamic, political and spatial practice. Under Construction spotlights one of the Midlands’ most exciting emerging fibre artists. It expands the conversation around craft, architecture and feminist labour. It offers a rare chance to witness a practice mid evolution, raw, conceptual and rooted in place. Private View / Launch Night: Friday 16th October, 6–8pm - RSVP’s Encouraged - Email [email protected] to RSVP directly. Free entry