Art can surpass decorative functions so as to operate practically and — not only to fill space, but potentially to create space also. For New York designer Tracey Coffin, a fascination with all the unconventional space-defining attributes of fabric and tapestry led her into a close working relationship with modular design, felt, as well as mobile structures, to inspire a few of the most beautifully constructed”curtains” that I have seen.
At the juncture of art, design, technology and even biology, Tracey Coffin’s pieces begin to show how close all fields of design actually are. When considering your home, use this model which you always have the option to redefine and reappropriate the functions objects in your house traditionally have served in order to satisfy your needs and style inspirations.
For Coffin, that meant applying the qualities and attributes that she admired about decorative tapestries and curtains towards the functionality of three dimensional uses.
Composed of interlocking felt modules, the simple charm of Coffin’s patterns is what first drew me to her pieces, along with her non-conventional supply of inspiration and thoughtful implementation is what truly makes them exceptional.
“I constantly find myself flipping through my boyfriend’s biochemistry novels, captivated by all of the vision — there is something really casually elegant concerning the loose-fit organization of mobile structures. The clustering looks simultaneously haphazard and intentional; incomplete yet complete. There’s a feeling of elusiveness that I try to communicate through my work.”
To add structure to her patterns, Coffin opted to work with felt. Additionally, it”can take on numerous shapes but keep some structural integrity. It is recyclable, it’s simple to work with, and it provides a great deal of texture into a room “
The amount of detail and effort that goes into these pieces means that it is crucial that they have a life span to match. The unfortunate thing with the majority of upholstered furniture pieces — curtains particularly — is that the constant beat from sunlight prematurely ages and melts the material quickly. Bearing that in mind, Tracey designed the entire curtain for an interchangeable system of modular pieces. That way, if an area of the curtain is particularly weathered, it isn’t required to throw the entire panel; simply swap a new piece for the one.
The individual felt modules are only about 4″ x 4″ and can be arranged to create an endless number of layouts and patterns.
With modular goods, it’s vital to have the ability to see a 4″ x 4″ piece of felt separately as a component of a panel which may contain tens of thousands of modules, as well the whole finished product. Technology and instinct both play significant roles in this process.
“The first piece I made was extremely intuitive – I had been using the curtain rod in my bedroom and working on it through the late afternoon and evening. My window had been west facing my area consistently obtained blinding light throughout sunset, therefore most of the opaque areas on the tapestry were constructed during sunset only to prevent sun from getting in my mind while the transparent areas were completed in the day to somehow bring a equilibrium between both. Given my profession, I have the capacity to work with parametric applications that could predefine the pattern, size, and form of an endless number of tapestries before I actually cut any substance, but I frequently try to avoid this much predetermination because I feel like you’re essentially designing an instruction manual — and where’s the fun in that?”
Unintentional unwanted effects begin to present themselves in unexpected ways. Tracey was using old modules coasters and hot padsthat”always makes [her] reconsider how something which started as a tapestry could change to some subset of products.” Thinking of a wall hanging this manner opens possible to future chances for”using the technique to create clothing or upholstery.”
The relations between the felt modules create unpredicted sun patterns which progressively alter and flicker as the sun moves throughout the day.
Working with modular design means that furniture, homes, and other goods could be produced to be”hyper-customized, transformable, as well as economical.” Rather than being forced to re-purpose products yourself, designing can begin to become more of a collaboration between designer and user.
“Collaboration also indicates that an active dialogue is occurring, and that I believe that exchange isn’t only healthy (particularly if it’s between user and designer ) but critical to create lasting products”
I find it refreshing for a designer to be crafting art pieces almost entirely by hand at an age where everything is driven. For Tracey,”It’s definitely changed the way I consider construction and scale. . .what I’ve gleaned from this trend is the basic notion that you ought to understand how to build what you design. It seems so obvious, but it is surprising how little we truly understand how the things we are constantly surrounded by are actually collect.”
Thanks again to Tracey Coffin for sharing her projects. I have been told I need to keep my eyes out for a metallic mylar modular disco ball appearing in the near future.
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