During this year’s shearing season, *Last Year’s Wool* pays tribute to the wool of Lesvos -last year’s wool- at a moment when the island’s sheep are affected by a severe animal health crisis and seasonal celebrations have been overshadowed by uncertainty. In response, five European artists from different disciplines present works that invite visitors to see, hear, and touch the softness, warmth, and insulating qualities of Lesbos sheep’s wool, while also reflecting on the dedication of the farmers who are forced to discard a material they can no longer sell. 

Exhibition Opening: Friday, 12 June 2026, 18:30–21:00
Exhibition Dates: 13–14 June 2026, 09:00–15:00
Venue: Hamam, Lower Castle, Mytilene, Lesvos Island, Greece

By inviting audiences to reconsider the boundaries between waste and resource, loss and transformation, 
Last Year’s Wool
opens a timely conversation about sustainability, cultural heritage, and the future of rural life on Lesvos.

An exhibition featuring textile artists Julie Loi and Florencia Torro, visual artist Thomas Eyzaguirre, Samuel Perea-Diaz, and filmmaker Katharina Bellan

Bringing together five contemporary European artists from the fields of textiles, design, visual arts, film, and sound, the exhibition explores the creative potential of wool as a material for image, form, sound, and clothing. Developed through artist residencies on Lesvos, partially funded by Culture Moves Europe, the participating artists engage with local wool traditions while imagining new futures for this remarkable natural resource.

Visitors will encounter works that draw upon traditional techniques while expressing visionary ideas that bridge generations, cultures, and disciplines. The exhibition seeks to foster dialogue around the future of traditional livestock farming and the growing environmental challenge posed by wool that accumulates in island landfills due to the collapse of local markets.

How can we celebrate the shearing season today?
How can local wool regain its value?
Is the wool that farmers are compelled to discard truly waste or does its value depend on the ways we choose to perceive it?

By inviting audiences to reconsider the boundaries between waste and resource, loss and transformation, Last Year’s Wool opens a timely conversation about sustainability, cultural heritage, and the future of rural life on Lesvos.

Contact:
A WOOL CONNECTION
Julie Loi: awoolconnection@gmail.com