Understanding materials as human beings with their unique affordances.
My encounter with Ann Richard's work opened up the wonder box of seemingly simple textiles that could be woven on a loom. Understanding Ann Richards’ process provided a road map for visualizing interesting textiles that can shape themselves. A breakdown of different techniques helped in creating a library of woven experiments that one could come back to throughout the sampling process.
In my journey, the first step for understanding any material is to spend time with it and observe its characteristics. it is the act of of having a conversation with the material itself to understand it scope. The lack of this understanding tends to reduce the ways in which this material can be manipulated to suit any concern.
Important questions while
understanding water hyacinth
Treating a material like it was a human being with its own intrinsic qualities helps in mapping trends of the dynamic qualities of the material groups in relation to each other.This allows me to anticipate the affordances of the said material in order to find opportunities in its underlying complexity.
Simple Complexity
Understanding the material provides some much needed space from forcing the elements of story telling or any other biases. It often becomes a learning experience to value simplicity as a blank canvas in the first leg of this journey.
Interaction of light source
with samples
Making Water hyacinth dyeable by
consciously choosing angle of cut.
Structural and textural built of various materials has often been something that interested me while studying textiles as surfaces. In various projects this curiosity shaped the hand-feel of the fabric itself.
Creating interesting textures
using heat on organza
The conversation with any material reveals in honest ways, its limitations and it then becomes my responsibility to nurture them in ways that can be perceived as opportunities. At a systemic level, it also becomes important to understand the underlying complexity and dynamism of the raw materials. The study also involves an understanding of the impact of factors that alter its visual appeal and strength.
Interdependencies of the stakeholders
of production with the material.
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