Lara Rabinowitz – Exploring Object Agency
by admin
As a part of our “What’s on Your Loom” series, we present the woven works of textile designer and fiber artist Lara Rabinowitz. The pieces were created as part of her senior collection presented at the NC State Wilson College of Textiles 2022 Emerging Designers Showcase. Lara graduated in May and is now living in Boulder, Colorado where she is eager to gain more experience on the TC2 loom! She tells us about her recent project…
Works…
My collection titled, Something on the Way to Becoming Something Else, explores the idea that objects have agency, the power to act upon and to affect others. The concept arises from the new and growing interdisciplinary field of New Materialism, which challenges the belief that objects and materials are passive and separate from humans and instead emphasizes how materials have the ability to act upon us. As part of my collection, I created eight hand weavings on the TC2 loom with the aim of illustrating how the human and material spheres act upon each other in the creative process.
Bear and push broom on the TC2 loom
I began by photographing 8 objects that are meaningful to me, the first two being the bear and broom pictured above. I chose the bear because he was a source of comfort growing up. I selected the push broom because of its dutiful role of keeping my porch clean.
To me, the agency of the broom lies not only in its functionality, but also in its animated role in fairy tales! These two pieces are woven with 11 end satin weaves and a gold 8/2 tencel weft. I used the airbrush tool on Photoshop to add a glow to the objects.
Next, I chose the unity sculpture and menorah. The unity sculpture (picture below) was a gift from my mother to my father, representing the entwining embrace of an enduring relationship.
The bronze menorah (picture to the left below) was passed down from my grandfather and represents the life force of ancestors. These two objects embody the importance of family relationships. They are woven with 11 end satin weaves and a blue-purple 8/2 tencel weft. Again, a hand drawn glow is used to emphasize specific forms and lines.
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- Menorah and Sculpture on the TC2 loom
Next, I created weavings inspired by the vase and mug, as seen in the pictures below. Both items exude the special vitality of handmade objects. The vase lives on the floor near my fireplace, and the mug has a small crack that lets coffee seep out while I drink.
For these two weavings, I used two weft compound weave structures to achieve a more abstract effect. They are woven with blue purple 8/2 tencel and salmon 5/2 bamboo wefts. After weaving I applied other hand techniques such as quilting, stuffing, and beading.
The final objects are a television remote and colander. Aside from reminding me of watching my favorite childhood shows, the remote (like the TC2) represents the effortless integration of advanced technology into our lives.
I chose my grandmother’s colander (a more basic technology) for visual interest and to highlight the vibrancy of steaming pasta. Again, I used 2 weft compound weaves to achieve an abstract, dynamic look. It was woven with salmon 5/2 bamboo and gold 8/2 tencel wefts. In addition, these pieces have quilted, corded, and beaded details to add interest.
About…
I recently graduated from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC where I studied textile design and anthropology. I learned to use the TC2 loom while working as a Handweaving R&D Assistant under the mentorship of Professor Kate Nartker. In this position I gained a passion for the meditative nature of weaving and a curiosity for the diverse visual effects that weave structures can create. I loved the “cyborg” nature of the TC2 and how I was able to become one with the machine while creating weavings. Looking forward, I hope to find a community of TC2 weavers to continue my weaving journey. I can be reached at rabinowitzlara@gmail.com.
Links…
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