Kinetic Fabric Art and Artists

As S.A.H.R. focuses on redundancy of functions, unconventional reuse, and adaptive reuse, I have decided to further explore kinetic movement art with fabrics. I have decided to focus on kinetic fabric art as there is an abundance of unused / discarded fabrics due to fast fashion and over consumption of products. Kinetic fabric art could be a very interesting unconventional reuse of fabrics.

Bloom Skin, WOW

WOW is a Japanese visual design company. They created Bloom Skin, a window installation, for Issey Miyake's 2012 spring / summer collection. (1) Although minimalist in concept and execution, Bloom Skin consists of eight computer-controlled fans that rhythmically manipulate a single piece of hovering fabric called organdy, Bloom Skin offers a dramatic and ever changing backdrop to the shop. The fabric is fixed on each side on a wire that allows the fabric to move up and down freely without floating away from the fans. The installation was installed to run parallel to the shop windows, it functions as an eye catching 'sculpture' that communicates the identity of the new collection. The organdy used in the installation is used throughout the pieces in the new collection.

Wind Form_02, WOW

WOW also created another installation for the event of SHISEIDO ULIMUNE 2nd Anniversary. It's designed in a similar way to Bloom Skin, using computer controlled fans and fixing the organdy fabric to wires. Wind Form_02 consists of two circles of fabric, one 4.8 meters in diameter and the other 8 meters, using a total of 30 fans. (2) It also has red and pink lighting underneath the fabric to illuminate it, whilst the rest of the room is in darkness, creating a very captivating and bold atmosphere.

Both of these installations by WOW are extremely beautiful and captivating. I really love how simplistic yet dramatic the installations are. I especially like the Wind Form_02 due to the use of coloured lighting, creating such a strong and powerful atmosphere.

Chill Out Tent, Daniel Wurtzel

Daniel Wurtzel is a Brooklyn-based artist best known for his kinetic sculptures and installations using air and lightweight materials that fly. His Chill Out Tent is a large sheet of fabric that floats above 7 fans, similar to WOW's installations. Unlike WOW's installations, the Chill Out Tent is made of "different types of fabrics and accepts light projection" (3) that are stitched together. The fabric is only fixed in each corner rather than on each side like WOW's installations.

Although similar to WOW's installations, I really like the Chill Out Tent as it gives enough space below to have people sat or laying underneath it, as well as how much larger it is. The Chill Out Tent also produces very beautiful shapes and shadows against the walls.

Mercedes Benz Installation, Daniel Wurtzel

Daniel Wurtzel produced an installation for a Mercedes Benz event in Istanbul. Ozgecan Tapa, a dancer, performs with Pas de Deux. Under difficult outdoor weather conditions, she gave an inspiring performance with a poetic ending. (4)

This installation is extremely powerful and inspiring, the use of lighting is very well done and captivates you easily. I find the addition of a dancer to Daniel Wurtzel's installations make it much more captivating and more 'alive'.

Each of these installations are all very inspiring and very captivating to watch. I am very interested in working with fabrics in a kinetic artform, I look forward to exploring this myself.

Image references (in order of appearance);

- Photo of Bloom Skin at night: https://www.designboom.com/art/wow-bloom-skin-for-issey-miyake/

- Photo of Bloom Skin during the day: https://www.designboom.com/art/wow-bloom-skin-for-issey-miyake/

- Photo of Wind Form_02 close up: https://www.w0w.co.jp/en/art/wind_form_shiseido

- Photo of Wind Form_02: https://www.w0w.co.jp/en/art/wind_form_shiseido

- Photo of Chill Out Tent: https://www.danielwurtzel.com/

- Photo of Ozgecan Tapa during the performance: https://www.danielwurtzel.com/merces-benz-istanbul-images

Videos displayed in this blog post are linked to where I obtained them from.