Exploring the Potential - 1st International Textile Exhibition

Kuratiert von Katam Al-Falou

Die Ästhetik ist nur ein Werkzeug – 1. Internationale Textilausstellung

Textilien sind Materialien, die für Bekleidung, aber auch für Objekte oder Bauten eingesetzt werden. Waren sie früher Träger des Designs in der Mode, gehen ihre Möglichkeiten heute weit darüber hinaus. Zeit, sich im Rahmen einer Ausstellung, die nicht nur Fachbesuchern, sondern auch der Öffentlichkeit, die Möglichkeit gibt, sich näher mit Textilien und ihrem Potential zu beschäftigen.

Die erste internationale Textilausstellung vom 13. bis 30. Oktober 2010 findet in der Galerie „Das Zimmer“ in Salzburg statt und soll zeigen, dass textile Innovation und interdisziplinäres Arbeiten, immer mehr zur Überlebensfrage wird, sowohl für Unternehmen als auch für unsere Gesellschaft: „In Zukunft wird Mode als Kommerz stehenbleiben, echte Innovationen wird es nur noch im Bereich Textilien geben, die dadurch an Wichtigkeit gewinnen, bis hin zur Form- und Funktionsbestimmung in der Mode oder unserer Alltagsbekleidung, auf öffentlichen Plätzen, in Bauten, in unserem Leben.“ , sagt Katam Al-Falou, selber Textilingenieurin und Modedesignerin, die die Ausstellung initiierte und kuratiert, um neben ihrer eigenen Forschungsarbeit in London auch anderen die Möglichkeit zu geben, Textilien bewusster wahrzunehmen und zur Diskussion zu stellen. Sechs internationale Aussteller aus Großbritannien, Deutschland und Österreich aus den unterschiedlichsten Fachbereichen werden ausstellen: Nele Katharina Redweik, Simone Palstring, Paul Hammer, Yesim Sinan, Birgit Gassner und Sarah Colson. Sie sind Künstler, Modedesigner, technische Ingenieure und stellen zum Thema Textil ihre gemeinsamen Arbeiten der Öffentlichkeit vor.

„Ich hoffe, dass die Ausstellung zu anregenden Diskussionen führt und erfolgreich wird, damit sie die nächsten Jahre wieder stattfinden kann, dann in anderen Gastgeberländern“, sagt Katam Al-Falou. „Die Resonanz in der Textilwelt ist bisher ganz gut, dafür, dass es die erste Ausstellung ist. Ich hoffe nun, dass auch die Öffentlichkeit Interesse zeigt“.

Es geht also in erster Linie als Textildesigner nicht darum, schöne farbige Materialien zu produzieren. Auch nicht, immer nur verrückt, bunt oder krass herumzulaufen. Es geht um eine Funktion, die nicht nur an der Oberfläche gut aussieht, sondern dass die inneren Werte stimmen. Ästhetik ist hier kein Selbstzweck. Natürlich kann man etwas Schlechtes, Durchschnittliches, Langweiliges mit Design schöner machen. Aber wenn das Wahre oder der intellektuelle Hintergrund fehlt, die Auseinandersetzung mit der Gesellschaft oder mit der fortschreitenden Technik, hilft auch Schönheit nichts – dies möchte die Ausstellung zeigen.

Hanni Heinrich

Mehr Informationen sind im Internet unter www.textiles-exhibition.org zu finden.

Katam Al-Falou
Research Textiles
Royal College of Art and Design
Kensington Gore
London SW7 2EU
+44 (0)7807 749 912
+49 (0)176 633 677 19
+43 (0)650 79 38 559
www.rca.ac.uk

Nele Katharina

Born 06.07.1989, Duisburg, Germany

nele.redweik(at)googlemail(dot)com

Education

Textile and Clothing Management at University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein
Apprenticeship in bespoke dressmakingat Elly-Heuss-Knapp Berufskolleg Düsseldorf

Expertise

Besides technical, technological and business administration courses, participation in three projects which included trend research, trend forecast and product development.

Paul Hammer

Born 03.12.1985, Cuxhaven, Germany

paul.hammer(at)post(dot)com

Education

Textile and Clothing Management at University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein

Work Experience

Placement in a French/German nursery until late summer
Supervisor at Paul Smith, Paris, France

Focus

Business administration courses as well as technical and technological lectures; participation in a project in co-operation with LAMBERT (German furniture/decoration manufacturer) designing table linen

Simone Palstring

Born 27. 03.1979, Emsdetten, Germany

s.palstring(at)hotmail(dot)de

Education

B.Sc. Textile and Clothing Management at University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein
Vocational college for fashion and industrial finishing techniques, Stuttgart

Work Experience

Technical product development and quality control
Tom Tailor, Hamburg

Quality assurance and quality control
PT Asmara Karya Abadi, Bogor, Indonesia

Expertise

Following seven years experience in quality assurance and control I decided to switch to the specialisms of management and trend forecasting.

Scholarships

SBB Stiftung Begabtenförderungswerk berufliche Bildung
Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes

Wear Your Favourite Song

The aim of the project “Wear Your Favourite Song” was to develop a concept for a multidisciplinary product. The main focus is on the areas of music in combination with textiles and garments. Ideally the customer will be able to wear his or her favourite song and can choose between different products. These are intended to fit into the concept of mass customisation.

In the beginning the project started with the phrase “Wear Your Favourite Song” which emerged during a former project. The task was to develop concepts for a possible realisation of products. Intensive research and development in the fields of construction of textile materials was carried out. Songs are randomly chosen according to the availability of notes. This resulted in the elaboration of four different concepts in the areas of knitting, weaving and printing, which were connected to the parameters of music with the help of different programmes and visualisations. For two concepts, weaving and printing, the visualisation of frequency spectra was used to create innovative and wearable products, for another knitting concept a code system relating to the length of notes was invented which resulted in a very interesting basis for manifold realisation possibilities, and the concept for weaving even allows a musician to read the notes from the garment and play the song, assuming that s/he knows the colour code relating to the notes.

The developed concepts give the opportunity to create highly individualized products and garments, which result from the interconnections between different disciplines. In addition, this is a seminal trend, refering as it does to WGSN’s think tank called “Sensory”. The key ideas of Sensory are to give the customers new mental and physical experiences and to immerse the customer in emotional technology. As the barriers between the real and virtual worlds come down, a new-psychedelic aesthetic emerges.

Sarah Colson

Born 6^th October 1982, Hazelmere, England

sscolson(at)gmail(dot)com

www.sarahcolson.com

Education

Faculty of Creative Arts UWE
BA Interdisciplinary Textile Design, First Class BA Hons

Filton College, Bristol
FTF Art & Design
OCN Digital Imaging
OCN Life Drawing
OCN Art History

Silia Skills, Easton, Bristol
OCN in Decorative Textiles and Dress Alteration.

Work Experience/ Projects

Hotel RCA
Ventura Lambrate, Milan 14^th-18^th April 2010
RCA Design Products curated an exhibition that showcased work from 3 years of past and current students.

Attention Span
Galerie Volker Diehl, Berlin 26^th April 2010
A ‘performance design’ show presented by platform 8 from the Royal Collage of Art, where ideas on how to present a performance through the means of design were challenged.

Canary Wharf design Cabinet
Presented for 1 Month between March and April 2009.

‘Super Christmas Market’
In association with ‘Wouldn’t it be nice’ exhibition, Somerset House, 19^th – 21^st Dec 2008
A sales market for exhibitors of the ‘Wouldn’t it be Nice’ exhibition to collectively sell products they created during their performances. I had the opportunity to work and sell along side well respected contemporary designers, which furthered my skills in business development, networking and stock management.

‘The Conformitory’, Julia Lohman and Gero Grundmann
In association with ‘Wouldn’t it be nice’ exhibition, Somerset House, 26^th Nov – 7^th Dec 2008
A performance piece of design, that questioned and suggested ways of making nature conform. The live performance developed my communication skills and confidence by physically and verbally communicating with members of the public. I gained a new insight into how a professional exhibition is put together and worked in a new design related context.

New Designers Selection
Village Underground, Shorditch, London Design Festival 2008
Internationally recognized, the New Designer’s Selection decide on 50 of the best design works from the New Designers show, showcasing the very best in young design excellence. Exhibiting in such a high acclaimed professional environment bettered my understanding of the professional design world. I developed my working skills as I interacted with a variety of professionals from within the design industry.

Cliff Moss faculty award
UWE degree show, 2008
For the most unique and outstanding work within the degree show of 2008. The judges felt my work stood out the most due to the intensity of research towards concept development and the application of materials. It was stated that they had not seen such intricate workmanship at such a high standard within the faculty for a long time.

Degree show coordinator/ project manager
UWE degree show 2008
The role of project manager allowed me to develop my skills in time management, delegation and liaising with professional designers. I found that in order to gain the best results for the groups overall aesthetics, compromises had to be made. Required skills in diplomacy and people management, which has encouraged my enthusiasm to work within a team. Other responsibilities included capital management for group funds; this meant I had dual responsibility for payments, expenditures and budgeting. I also structured meetings that lead to overcoming objectives and planning future tasks.

Awards
Cliff Moss faculty award
UWE degree show, 2008

Links

www.agentetransforma.com.br/

www.hotelrca.com/SarahColson.html

www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2010/04/salone-del-mobile-goes-to-the.php

www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/4771/dysfunctional-community-by-sarah-colson.html

‚Dysfunctional Community‘ 2009 

Contemporary practitioner, Sarah Colson, merges the boundaries between art and design.  Her current works are generated from a concept based around dysfunction in which she questions the translational (?) action of the human brain. Descriptions donated by others of functional objects are utilised by Colson as a ‘blind’ starting point to her investigation.  These textual ‘sketches’ are then translated through a material enquiry that juxtaposes high and low value materials to portray the key elements from these descriptions. The objects in their final state are reduced to a precious miniature; this allows the objects to become self-contained with minimal reference to their genesis.

Sarah Colson is a concept designer with a first class BA Honours degree in Interdisciplinary Textile design and currently mid way through her MA in Design Products at the Royal College of Art and Design in London. At the forefront of her practice is an investigation into materials and the manipulations that can be applied. Using this extensive language, she explores her ideas through a range of textile and non-textile techniques. She has a hands on approach to her design work and a sophisticated individual aesthetic.

Birgit Gassner

Born 07.06.1977, Salzburg, Austria

birgogassner(at)hotmail(dot)com

www.birgit-gassner.at

Education
University Mozarteum, Salzburg, Art education (textile and graphic design)
College of Fashion, Hetzendorf/Vienna

Work Experience/ Projects
Freelance commissions and training periods for clients including Swarovski, Wattens, Austria, and studio „Kombi“, Betty Barclay Kleiderfabrik GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany
Fashion designer for the brand „Airfield“ and „Designfactory“ Walter Moser GmbH & Co. KG, Seewalchen, Austria
Lecturer at the youth academy Neuburg a. d. Donau, Germany
Teaching at the creative high school „musisches Gymnasium“, Salzburg, Austria
Teaching at the private high school „Werkschulheim Felbertal“, Salzburg, Austria

Group Exhibitions

Räumlichkeiten/Persönlichkeiten
Galerie Das Zimmer, Salzburg
Tischhöhe: das Berühren der Figuren mit den Pfoten ist verboten“
Künstlerhaus, Salzburg

crossover
Hofmobiliendepot, Vienna (Designpath)

…Schnüre einziehen, ausziehen, erziehen
Experimental Film, International Toscana Video Festival Visionaria

…mit oder ohne Zucker?
Experimental film during the Day of Salzburg Film at „Das Kino“, Salzburg

Blütenzier: Tracht, Mode und Design
Monatsschlössl Hellbrunn, Salzburg

Cinematic Art by young Austrian filmmakers
Austrian Film Evening Short films: German Department, University of Reading
(Austrian Cultural Forum, London)

…mit oder ohne Zucker? and …zu Besuch
Experimental film during the long night of the museums, Galerie Altenöder, Salzburg

Solo exhibitions

Intermundien
Galerie der KHG, Salzburg

Einblicke & Ausblicke
Galerie Das Zimmer, Salzburg

in flore esse
Galerie der Kulturgruppe Piesendorf, Salzburg

Intermundien
Jewelery Exhibition

Schneewittchen: ein Märchen ohne gewohntes Finale and Schneiderlein
Jewelery Exhibition

Remembran and … aus dem Nähkästchen
Jewellery exhibition

Dreierlei: flora, boulder/rocks, glacial
Pieces of jewellery from the series

Dreierlei

In this work the emphasis is on actual the working process, as is it demonstrated and expressed. We see the final arrangement on the dress form, briefly before the working process is concluded. This tension is maintained and celebrated. The finished pieces of jewellery are put together with pins and an entity is created. Everything falls into place.

Materials and processing correspond to the designer’s typical tradition. The materials are Leather, cotton, fur, sewing silk, crystal, pins

Floral or alpine forms, like rocks and boulders partially embroidered or lined are created with the sewing machine. The lining is made from shirts that have been used constantly during the working processes in the studio. 

Finally, a moment or an impression is captured and displayed … this temporarily held thought can be developed and taken further.

Yesim Sinan

Born 26.04.1985, Aachen, Germany

y.sinan(at)live(dot)de

www.yesimsinan.com

Education

MA Management (English), University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein
Intensive Graduate Training, Leonardo Da Vinci, London
Fashion Design, University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein

Work experience

Student Internship in the design department of Sahinler Holding, Santex Fashion, Aachen, Germany
„Intensive Graduate Training“ with EU Leonardo Da Vinci-scholarship
Advanced Job Skills language course, London
Internship, ERDEM Studio London, UK
Internship in trend agency Seasons PARIS, Paris, France
Internships in several design departments of Sahinler Holding, Santex Fashion in Aachen, Germany
Internship at Boldt & Liedecke- Exhibitions & Events

Awards

Wilhelm Lorch award 2009
Wilhelm Lorch donation in cooperation with TextilWirtschaft magazine. Award for the Diploma Thesis „Humans as advertising pillar“

Links
http://www.wilhelm-lorch-stiftung.de/foerder/pages/2009/sinan.htm

Humans as advertising pillar

The T-shirt is considered as daily simple piece of clothing. With the ability it possesses to present its wearer, the T-shirt becomes a public communicator and at the same time an identity-supporting medium. The T-shirt communicates verbal, because whether with texts, pictures or indications printed on, it speaks to its viewer.

The Collection treats the self-manifestation of humans with the help of the Slogan-T-shirt. Within this, the intercultural communication and the associated identity of humans are of importance. Political statements on the T-shirt are provocatively used in the development: the experimental collection, and are directed to the problems of immigration.

The basic module for the collection as result is the analysis of communication technologies of the T-shirt. Questionnaires offered the basis of common prejudices that appear in communities. The experimental T-shirt-Design treats taboo topics and provokes with irony. The target group is young people, which determines here the more tolerantly wished future.

The result is an innovative collection out of T-Shirt parts and intercultural inspired, patterned fabrics. Every single outfit wears an individual statement, that “multi-ethisises” with the intent to let dissimilar subcultures communicate.

The device of the collection is named “intolerate intolerance“, because prejudices are caused by absence of tolerance. The attitude “intolerate intolerance” unifies non-communicating humans of a community. A provocative statement on a T-Shirt, an unexpected new, interesting cut of a garment and a new era of self-definition builds the tolerant individual.

Statements that communicate are for instance “I am free”, “Co-exist” or “Don’t call me Islamist”, which handle difficult themes with irony and the lightness of Fashion.