It is still summer so it is only natural to think about aquatic themes. The latter can be approached in different ways, but if you like textiles and interior designs with a touch of abstract elements, check out the tapestry entitled titled "Archipelago" made by Amsterdam-based Finnish artist and designer Kustaa Saksi for the Europa building in Brussels.
The tapestry was commissioned by the Finnish government in honour of Finland's third presidency of the European Union and will be on display until the end of December 2019.
Produced in the Tilburg-based TextielLab, where Saksi has so far developed some of his best and most complex pieces, the tapestry comprises 18 separate woven sections joined together to form a monumental two metre wide and 26 metres long work.
As you may have guessed, the piece is inspired by the Finnish coast and by its flora and fauna, rendered in an abstract key. Close ups reveal details of leaves and flowers and glimmering water.
Saksi employed fo this piece technical yarns that allowed him to apply a 3D relief to the work, something that is rare in tapestries. The mood and style remains typical Saksi, with those abstract, paradoxical and fantasy shapes maybe borrowed from a dream or a psychedelic vision of some sort, creating a modern narrative through a graphic storytelling.
The fact that Saksi's tapestry comprises various separate sections joined together could be read as a metaphor for the European Union and a message to the eurosceptics - united we stand, but divided we fall.
It is intriguing seeing a government commissioning a textile design to an experimental artist that has worked with international brands such as Nike, Issey Miyaki, Marimekko and Bergdorf Goodman among the others. Hopefully, other governments will be inspired by this choice of marking a political achievement or anniversary with a unique tapestry piece.
Image credits for this post
1. Archipelago in the Europa building. Artist: Kustaa Saksi; photo by Josefina Eikenaar
2. Detail of Archipelago. Artist: Kustaa Saksi; photo by Josefina Eikenaar
3 - 4. Development of Archipelago in the TextielLab, Artist: Kustaa Saksi; photo by Josefina Eikenaar
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