Infinite Threads

by Nina Kruger

Main Gallery - 11.07.2024 - 15.08.2024

As a contemporary fibre artist, my work is inspired by a fascination with the environments and materials surrounding me. This compels me to collect and transform elements from each place I explore. Plant, animal, human and human-made materials are combined to create new hybrid materials. Through this process, I investigate the interconnectedness of all animate and inanimate entities, exploring the Infinite Threads that bind all matter.

Guided by philosophical frameworks such as Posthumanism and New Materialism, I consider the collected and transformed materials as active participants in the creative dialogue. Collaboration and contingency are fundamental to my practice. I embrace an open mindset, enabling the materials to contribute to the narrative, fostering moments of co-creation. An example of this symbiotic relationship is evident in the artwork Golden Thread, where the fibres underwent a transformative journey in the studio, inviting my responsive intervention.

The exhibited works encompass a variety of techniques, including felting, threading, weaving, and organic dyeing. At the heart of my practice lies a unique felting technique, involving repetitive, meditative stabs on a sponge sheet to fuse fibres, after which a new hybrid material is revealed. These haptic artworks are complemented by macro photography, videography, and mixed-media installations. This approach underscores my commitment to examining the intricate relationships between humanity, technology, and the material world.

Time emerges as a subtle yet pervasive motif woven throughout each piece, functioning as a golden thread that interconnects all matter. This temporal dimension is visible in the gradual colour shifts and observed decay within the displayed materials, echoing the cyclical rhythm of existence. Pieces such as Ebb & Flow and Flesh & Bone offer a direct juxtaposition of human anatomy with shared animal matter, specifically gelatine. This juxtaposition prompts a deeper exploration of the parallels between human and animal categorizations, inviting contemplation on the shared essence underlying these distinctions.

Highlighted within the exhibition are works such as Down the Rabbit Hole i, woven from individual collected Bunny Tail plants, and Gather, a fusion of wild grass fibres through felting. This exhibition stands as a testament to my ongoing exploration of the intricate tapestry of existence. I invite you to immerse yourselves in this visual narrative, where each piece invites contemplation on the fluid boundaries between humanity, nature, and the material world.

catalogue

In collaboration with HEAT Winter Art Festival

11.07.2024 - 21.07.2024

This exhibition was made possible thanks to the support by the City of Cape Town.

Infinite Threads

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