© Daiga Ellaby
Textile art: memories and repairs
Location
WISPER Gent
Dok Noord 4D 001
9000 Gent
Language & teacher(s) Dutch/English
Location
WISPER Gent
Dok Noord 4D 001
9000 Gent
Language & teacher(s) Dutch/English
The starting point for this day workshop is Boro, a Japanese art of repair that consists of simple, repetitive stitches (also known as Sashiko). We incorporate this technique into personal artistic expressions in which sewing, drawing, and painting merge into one another.
In Boro, textiles become silent messengers. Every patch attached and every visible stitch carries a hidden story: traces of use, memories, care, and repair. We discover Boro not only as a textile technique, but as a visual language that connects drawing, painting, and sewing. Using applied examples, we see how traditional repair techniques have evolved into a contemporary form of textile art, in which layers, patterns, and rhythms tell a story.
In the morning, we explore fabric as a drawing medium. We choose from a variety of textures, colors, and leftover materials to make small collages. Just like in drawing or painting, this is all about composition, contrast, and intuitive image formation. By cutting, tearing, and shifting, we create a first layer of images reminiscent of a sketch. Once this base layer is ready, we shift our attention to ‘drawing with thread’.
In the afternoon, we start with a theme on a blank canvas where fabric, thread, and paint complement each other: painting becomes embroidery, embroidery becomes drawing, drawing becomes textile. This creative process results in unique visual stories that reveal reflections and personal memories.
WISPER Gent is situated at the Dok Noord site. Make sure to read the information on our Dok Noord page beforehand because this place can be a bit of a maze when you first come here.
