Cento [sen-toh] Community Coats
Latin, cento (plural centones from Greek kentrōn meaing “patchwork” or “rag”): a garment made of several pieces sewn together, typically a patchwork cloak, blanket, or curtain.
Our ‘Cento’ range of community coats are hand-crafted, wearable artworks made collectively by docklands residents. They are created from individual patches, each one hand worked by a local community member. Through their design, these coats tell stories that resonate with the local community and the events that shape their lives. Participants contribute drawings, words, patterns, symbols, and textiles reflecting personal memories, shared histories, and hopes for the future. These ideas are then stitched, painted, printed, and layered onto the coats, turning them into rich, tactile story-objects rather than conventional garments.
