The Shuttle Series, a new body of large scale woven textile artworks by Margo Selby, is inspired by the intricate nature of the circuit boards and woven wire used in technology. The narrative parallels the woven threads of textiles and the wired connections of circuit boards and electrical engineering. 

This series follows the artist’s acclaimed moonlanding installation at Somerset House, which was created alongside a musical score for 6 strings written by Helen Caddick.  It tells the story of the women weavers who were involved in the making of the memory core and circuit boards for the Apollo 11, which in 1969 successfully landed on the moon. 

Through precise, graphic compositions and flowing colour transitions, the work explores the synergy between art, craftsmanship and engineering, considering the ways in which woven structures can create both functionality and visual stimulation.

Colour is always central to Margo Selby’s work, carefully orchestrating transitions and gradients of colour to conjure the vibrant energy found in space: deep inky sky, celestial objects, and gradients of aurora colour.  

Complementing the vibrant palette, the graphic patterns are deliberately designed to resemble interwoven elements. These create a sense of layer and depth, echoing the intricate structure of both traditional weaving and electrical circuit boards. 

Woven in British wool, cotton and silk, the series embraces the tactile warmth of natural fibres while maintaining a sharp, structured aesthetic reminiscent of the organised nature of wires within technology and engineering. 

These sculptural works invite viewers to reflect on the interwoven nature of art, science, and technology and how threads—whether in fabric or in code—shape the world around us.