This weaving project was a continuation of exploring moire patterns. I am interested in moire patterns that interfere with images, especially images of the past. Often through transer of media, images get distorted with these intricate waves. To me, those patterns symbolize the difficulty of accessing certatin memoires that are only remembered and brought upon through technology.
While my initial plan was to use photo-printed fabric to create a weaving that resembles an image with a moire pattern, with the time limitation, I have decided to create a framework that resembles the moire pattern itself. This way, every image underneath the weaving instantly becomes an moire-interfered image. I used plain weaving and interlocking patterns to create a weaving that has irregular negative spaces. I selected colors that are often seen in moire patterns, allowing me to explore various color combinations.
Using only two or three strands at a time for the most part, the process was extremely time-consuming. Instead of depicting the exact pattern, I created an abstract version of a moire. Doing so, I could finish the project in time and achieve a similar effect of a moire. However, since moire patterns are very mathematical and precise, I could also see the pattern being less legible as a moire but more of an abstraction. A thorough planning of where the weaving departs and merges could make it more moire-like. Also, cleaning up the strands of yarns to the back of the weaving was another process I have not thought about while weaving, which also took a considerate amount of time to do. After taking the weaving off the loom, I used embroidery threads and needle to further secure the strands at the back.
Through this project, I learned how to manage time and continue an artistic vision with minimal compromises. Since weaving is such a time consuming process, there were certainly more ideas that I could not implement in this project. Learning how to make quick changes to your idea to meet a deadline or your weaving ability was difficult, but ultimately a very valuable lesson to learn.
In the future, I would like to continue exploring moire patterns in weaving.
Five Directions :
- A similar weaving but with more accurate representation of a moire
- Explore different colore scheme, possibly with more muted colors or one color but with different tones
- Print photograph on a fabric, cut into strips and use those strips for weaving
- Differnt sizing of the weaving so it could fit a polaroid film or a giant family portrait.
- Use various different yarn and threads to give variety of thickness and texture to the pattern