Summary

“The hand that feels marks the object” –Walter Benjamin

When the word “manufacture” is being mentioned, most would almost immediately think of machineries, technology and mass production. However, the origin of the word dates back to the mid 16th century, where it actually means ‘made by hand’.

Taking a step back, counter to the instant gratification and mass-production centered age of today is where my journey begins.

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A body of work created predominately out of yarns - knitted, weaved and pieced together by hand.
Having taken on the methodology of a painter, where every move and colour that is being applied is a response to its surroundings - of what is already on the canvas.

Organisation

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Inspiration/Method

My work revolves around the exploration of the use of traditional craft techniques, the materiality of textures and weights that in turn informs the structure and form of the garments.

I believe that the journey is as interesting and important as the destination, and the way of the road shows in our creations. Instead of veiling irregularities and "imperfections", pride is palpable in the evidence of the hand.

Our hands are instruments to an endless array of materials claiming their right to be heard. A play between spontaneity and tradition, I believe that one can only fully experience and understand the materials and bring forth the best of their potential.

While I have immersed myself in the realm of handcrafting, I have also learnt to embrace the evident capabilities of a manual knitting machine. However, pieces are still assembled by the means of a hand sewing.

Also, the process of making – the hand does not work in isolation; “Thinking, seeing, handling in tandem, this mesh grants a praxis.” – Walter Benjamin

Materials: Yarns and mesh

Design Challenge

The challenge was to hopefully alter the misconception of the use of craft (and knit) being mundane and obsolete. With constant experimentations in material manipulation, I have created garments which have a balance of craft and machine, in order to allow the beauty of hand to shine through.