About

Bradford earned the name Worstedopolis in the nineteenth century, when it became the world centre of worsted fabric production. This heritage is the foundation for a new artwork by Ronan Devlin, commissioned for BD: is LIT 2025.

Worstedopolis is a large-scale projection that translates the mathematics and patterns of weaving into a living digital fabric. The work is built on traditional textile structures — plain weave, twill, satin, dobby, jacquard — which continually shift and recombine. Its surface moves between bold, luminous geometric forms and intricate interlacing threads, echoing the precision and rhythm of weaving.

Projected onto Bradford City Hall, Worstedopolis perpetually unfolds as its digital light fabric is continuously woven and unravelled, reimagining the city’s textile history in contemporary form, celebrating the deep connections between weaving, pattern, connectedness and computation.

Part of BD: is LIT