loose grid, installation, 2019
grid is a guideline in the form of crisscrossed parallel bars which is used when composing a plane. it is a tool of layout with regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines to maintain the visual order and consistency. The grid allows people to use time and space effectively. the pattern resulting from such application of rule of repetition resembles the spiral pattern on leaves. but contrary to the artificial grid, in nature and time/season, there exist other forms of grid with variations on a theme. when a plant had greatly suffered one year, the gap between leaves would become larger. as early spring can coexist with lingering winter, the grid of season has some margins, unique in its existence. there is no exact rule of equal division but everything is organically linked, creating a firmer and beautiful grid. we have worked on portraying the grid made by natural ingredient and time for this project.
we used the weaved hemp as the smallest grid unit. Hemp is made by steaming leaves of japanese cedar, peeling them and drying them in sunlight. The fibers are split, rubbed into hemp thread. then, it is starched and dried, so that warp and weft of hemp can be weaved on the loom. such long process is engrained in the thickness of the hemp thread, its warp and weft, rendering a loose beauty on its grid. we have added another kind of grid onto the hemp, as well as some sense of space. to express man-made artificiality, the structures were formed into square, triangular, circular forms. to realize such structures, we have hand-drawn grids on to the hemp, folded neatly and connected the lines with a sewing machine. the rules and artificiality imposed by manual labor and needle of the machine are melt down by the materiality of hemp and the grid becomes loose. but slow repetition and links filled with sincerity allow solid ground within such looseness.
hence, the loose grid has translucent permeability and expands itself to another grid by overlapping or dividing according to different angles.
dimensions
bench 1120 x 560 x 320mm, stool 640 x 560 x 450mm, shade unit 570 x 550
materials
hemp, beech wood
presented at 2019 craft trend fair main exhibition ‘object,object...’
curated + space photos by space be
