Bradford Collection | Influential Practitioners

Josef and Anni Albers

Renowned for his disciplined approach to composition, Josef uses simplistic shapes, whilst constantly portraying the influence of the Bauhaus movement. I'm particularly drawn to his use of intense colours and block shapes, as I'm trying to produce samples with a similar motif.

Josef Albers 

Coincidently married to Josef, Anni was one of the best known textile artists and printmakers from the 20th Century. 

[left] Rail, linen casement by Knoll [right] Black, White, Yellow, silk and rayon wall hanging 

I've found a similarity between the work of Anni's and of Josef's; with an obvious preference towards simplistic shapes, the squares and 'blocks' have influenced my project and changed the way in which I'm drawing and collaging. Rather than creating extremely plain woven samples to later screen print on, these artists have made me question my fluid and organic illustrations, and made me consider portraying certain elements in a woven way. Could I produce samples with minimalistic shapes, but varying colours? Could I use the chenille to represent intricate details found on the seeds, in a similar way to Anni's delicate work? These practitioners have given me a lot of ideas to consider and I'm excited where this could take my project. 

I also think this could be a great way for me to use the past to help me re-invent the old. As proven with fashion trends, moments in history are constantly coming back to life and often with little influence from the modern world...could the Bauhaus movement be the way for me to modernise chenille?

Mae Engelgeer

A Dutch, woven designer, Engelgeer creates extremely simply designed fabrics which really stand out; her use of neutral tones with a splash of neon, simple shapes and experimental composition are exceptionally effective. 

[left] Mode Collection [right] Flock Collection

  

I find Mae's work to be clean and minimalistic, whilst still portraying an organic element in her work. With inspiration drawn from marble stones and gravel, I'm inspired by her use of colour to add a contemporary and appealing side to her fabrics. Her work is aimed at a similar market audience as how I envisage my own; high-end interiors. Her Mode collection is made up of a range of throws and offer a double-sided product - something that I am trying to create with my own fabric.