What is the role of textiles in the world today and in the future? To discuss possible answers to this question, Fiberspace invited Jessica Hemmings, Textile Writer & Professor of Craft and Vice-Prefect of Research HDK, Bella Rune, Artist & Professor of Fine Art, Textiles, Konstfack, Åsa Pärson, Master Weaver and Delia Dumitrescu, Professor & Manager of the Smart Textiles Design Lab, Borås Textilhögskolan to a webinar on International Women’s Day, the 8th of March 2021 at 18-19.30. This is the first in a series of webinars made possible by the generous support of Kulturförvaltningen Stockholm Stad.

What is textile architecture and what could it be? In the research project “Urban Materiality – Towards New Collaborations in Textile and Architectural Design”, two architects and a textile designer have collaborated to improve the acoustic qualities in urban environments. Textile modules have been designed to dampen unwanted noise and are applied outdoors – interior and exterior have changed place. The modules are intended to be placed on facades, temporarily or permanently to “patch” a facade. Today, building facades are often designed to be perfect and facade materials are replaced prematurely. Instead, the “imperfect” and unexpected come in here as textile disturbances in the urban landscape to change views of facade materials and to show sustainable alternatives. The webinar took place on 13th April 2021 at 18:00.

This series of webinars was made possible by the generous support of Kulturförvaltningen Stockholm Stad.

Is biodesign within textiles and fibers the way to a the sustainable future? What can designers learn from nature? How can designers collaborate with nature in their design processes? In this webinar, three research projects will be presented that will answer these questions and more. Dr Mitchell Jones is a postdoctoral researcher at the Materials Science and Technology Institute at TU Wien, the University of Technology in Vienna. He will give insights into his research on fungi-derived leather-like materials and soft foams for fashion, product design and architectural applications. Designers Laura Luchtman and Ilfa Siebenhaar will present their research project, Living Colour, which explores the possibilities of natural textile dyeing with bacteria that produce pigment. They aim to draw attention to the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, in their case a combination of design and bioscience. Designer Linda Nurk will present her project, Couture Vivante: bio-grown fashion, where she combines the raw elements of nature with couture through the development of home-grown bio-textiles and urban micro-farming of silkworms. This third and final webinar was held on 17 May 2021 at 18:00, in a series of webinars made possible by the generous support of Kulturförvaltningen Stockholm Stad.

Many thanks to the Swedish Arts Grants Comittee for awarding the Dynamo Grant for 2022 to Fiberspace's director, Marcia Harvey Isaksson! The Dynamo grant is awarded to someone who, on their own initiative, creates new arenas in our contemporary visual and performing arts. "This is such an unexpected but meaningful acknowledgement and honour. Truly an encouragement to stick to Fiberspace's DNA of being an arena for textile art, craft and design" says an overwhelmed Marcia.