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Aromatics

Engaging
Expressing
Disrupting
No items found.
2022
United States
No items found.
No items found.

Team

Anushka Divecha

Company | Institution

Category

Production

Type

Indie/Non-Profit

Project description

While typically not represented by keepsakes, memories of food are some of my strongest. Last year I tried to bring a feeling of comfort back to the isolated existence I experienced in America in the midst of a global pandemic, through food and cooking. Working with spices common in my family’s recipes and incorporating them into a textile allowed me to capture the comfort of scent; just the smell of a spice can trigger fond, powerful memories and transport you to a specific place and time. As a textile designer, I used food and sensorial memories to make home almost palpable- within reach. Through the magic of fragrance, I not only wanted to invite people to experience the warmth of my kitchen, but wanted to design a fabric that they could take, easily transport and use in their own spaces to comfort themselves when they felt isolated. Woven on the Jacquard Loom, Aromatics is an amalgamation of technology and handiwork. The textile is filled with spices commonly used in my family's Indian recipes. Designed with a complex woven structure to form a transparent 3-D gauze weave, pockets are woven in to the fabric that can be filled. Aromatics was made to be hung on a wall with the intention to fill up a space with warmth and envelope it in the aroma of spices. Interactive, sensorial and comforting- This textile is the materialisation of nostalgia through food.

The COVID-19 Pandemic brought upon an epidemic of isolation. As a graduate student 8000 miles away from home, I turned to food for comfort. Turning to food in times of distress is not an uncommon act- psychologists have deemed it a survival tactic. Food memories are powerful, as they encompass all five senses. These memories are so compelling, as their nature isn’t only shaped by survival, but also the context, the company, the place and emotion.

My aim: To produce an immersive textile that could trigger nostalgia, fill up a space with warmth and provide comfort to people experiencing isolation. Since food is such a sensorial experience, I wanted to create an interactive textile that activated multiple senses. I wanted to make a portable textile that the user could fold and take with them wherever they go as a reminder of home.

Aromatics is a union of Handiwork as well as Technology. The artwork was hand-painted and translated in to fabric using textile software. Woven on a Jacquard loom, the monofilament gauze pockets are integrated in to the fabric, which pucker out once off the loom, creating a 3-D effect. The pockets are accessible and convenient to use. One has the option to fill the pockets with anything. Apart from spices, one can fill the fabric with incense, potpourri or flowers to experience new fragrances. The user can interact with the fabric through sight, through smell and the 3-D gauze initiates the sense of touch. As dried spices retain scent for a long time, the aroma always lingers in the air, however, it is heightened when the textile is placed in front of a fan or AC/heating unit to disseminate the fragrance in the space.

My challenge while designing, was figuring out the most balanced weave structure that would result in both- A sturdy cloth that would hold all the spices, as well as a gauze that would be loose/transparent enough for the spices to be seen, but tight enough to hold everything in. Through sampling, a strong satin weave with a gauze that uses 1/3 of the warp threads was decided on. I also used my knowledge of colour theory while designing to get the most vibrant colour payoff with limited cones of yarn. I worked on many colour studies to determine what colours would work together. I also experimented with different combinations of spices at different quantities to determine which ones had the most harmonious, balanced scent.

Aromatics was displayed in Providence, RI and in New York for New York Textile Month. Covid-19 played a big part not only in my inspiration, but when making important design decisions. As I did not want people to get too close to the fabric when displayed, I wove separate pouches on the Jacquard Loom, that were filled with spices for people to take away. This ensured that they could enjoy the warmth and aroma in the safety of their homes and have a woven talisman to bring them healing when secluded.

The COVID-19 Pandemic brought upon an epidemic of isolation. As a graduate student 8000 miles away from home, I turned to food for comfort. Turning to food in times of distress is not an uncommon act- psychologists have deemed it a survival tactic. Food memories are powerful, as they encompass all five senses. These memories are so compelling, as their nature isn’t only shaped by survival, but also the context, the company, the place and emotion.

My aim: To produce an immersive textile that could trigger nostalgia, fill up a space with warmth and provide comfort to people experiencing isolation. Since food is such a sensorial experience, I wanted to create an interactive textile that activated multiple senses. I wanted to make a portable textile that the user could fold and take with them wherever they go as a reminder of home.

Aromatics is a union of Handiwork as well as Technology. The artwork was hand-painted and translated in to fabric using textile software. Woven on a Jacquard loom, the monofilament gauze pockets are integrated in to the fabric, which pucker out once off the loom, creating a 3-D effect. The pockets are accessible and convenient to use. One has the option to fill the pockets with anything. Apart from spices, one can fill the fabric with incense, potpourri or flowers to experience new fragrances. The user can interact with the fabric through sight, through smell and the 3-D gauze initiates the sense of touch. As dried spices retain scent for a long time, the aroma always lingers in the air, however, it is heightened when the textile is placed in front of a fan or AC/heating unit to disseminate the fragrance in the space.

My challenge while designing, was figuring out the most balanced weave structure that would result in both- A sturdy cloth that would hold all the spices, as well as a gauze that would be loose/transparent enough for the spices to be seen, but tight enough to hold everything in. Through sampling, a strong satin weave with a gauze that uses 1/3 of the warp threads was decided on. I also used my knowledge of colour theory while designing to get the most vibrant colour payoff with limited cones of yarn. I worked on many colour studies to determine what colours would work together. I also experimented with different combinations of spices at different quantities to determine which ones had the most harmonious, balanced scent.

Aromatics was displayed in Providence, RI and in New York for New York Textile Month. Covid-19 played a big part not only in my inspiration, but when making important design decisions. As I did not want people to get too close to the fabric when displayed, I wove separate pouches on the Jacquard Loom, that were filled with spices for people to take away. This ensured that they could enjoy the warmth and aroma in the safety of their homes and have a woven talisman to bring them healing when secluded.

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