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»between one and another - focus on our textile skins«

The following catalogue presents works and preliminary studies, that were developed in a 2017 winter long-term project at KISD, with the title “between one and another - focus on our textile skins”.

With this project we focused on what is taking place between two positions, not primarily two persons, but possibly also between a person and an object, between two objects, or even a plant and a person.

The most diverse positions are connected by the space between, the interspace. Looking at the interspace triggers a rather philosophical approach towards the unseen, the neglected, the undervalued between two focus points.The interspace can be an action. In this case we call it »the interaction« between one and another. Communication itself is such an interaction - the field we designers are most concerned about.

Diversity is precious and joined together by the betweenness, the interspace. The interspace can also be seen between the layers that surround our bodies, beginning with our textile skins, the objects around us, up to the architecture as built enclosure of the body.

According to this architectonical view towards our layered ambiance, the spatial phenomena of clothing has been explored. The point of view was taken to be the personal »self« in the surrounding enclosures to reach a deeper identification with the user. Requesting and even exchanging conventions of inner and outer spaces were challenged to find new design concepts.

The outcome of this investigation are eleven different student projects in life size. They deal with the personal living unit in a relation towards the other, that challenges with its diversity.

We were lucky to enjoy an international team of students, that gave their input from most diverse backgrounds. During the process of the semester we approached the topic from different sides with smaller projects, assignments and experimental workshops. These little projects were used as a basis which led to the final project.

To grow a great team we’ve been cooking and dining together, and finally approached an interim show of the works in progress as a team-work with distributed responsibilities. Some students were responsible for the location, others for positioning the audience, another team developed the graphic appearance, and others were responsible for photographing and filming the show, further other fields of design were the sound, the choreography and the light.

The show was not a classic design presentation, but resembled more a performance, where the concepts are not entirely explained. The most diverse concepts have been introduced in a performing show, each elucidated by a specific title and images.

Another design task was to develop this catalogue that introduces the collective project. In this catalogue you are invited to gain a deeper insight into the concepts of the objects, by looking at the imagery of each projects research, a concept text and the studio photographs. In the first part the preliminary tasks and experiments are documented. On the last pages you will find a few atmospheric photographs of the performing show. The descriptive texts that go along with each project are collected in the A6 sized textbook. The concept text can be matched by the project number and an referring image of the project.

The objects, were created and produced in a student workshop. Quite often it was the first time for experiencing textile working with the sewing machine and pattern techniques. After the interim presentation there was the chance to refine the product, and finalize with the experiences acquired in introducing the object to an audience.

All in all I am proud of the whole team, and convinced that they all gave their best. I am thankful for the energy and power to work enthusiastic through the nights and to reach further levels of insight in this enthralling research project about our textile skins.

Many thanks to the co-workers from KISD for supporting and helping us, and to KISD for inviting me to conduct this project, which was very joyful for me.

Patricia Hepp

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