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2007

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Textile, Interferens

This is a Textile. It was produced by Kvadrat (Ebeltoft, Denmark). It is dated 2007 and we acquired it in 2010. Its medium is wool and its technique is jacquard woven. It is a part of the Textiles department.

The Danish artist and weaver, Grethe Sørensen, designs according to architectonic principles. Her interest in photography, cinematography, animation, optics, and illusion is expressed through textiles that show a deep understanding of the weaving process and constantly explore the interplay between two-dimensional surface and three-dimensional structure.
In Interferens, Sørensen recreates the optical effect that occurs when two perforated plates are aligned and then shifted slightly off center, as if by movement of the viewer. Disorienting patterns emerge and the eye struggles to discern the flat planes that are creating the illusion of movement. Sørensen uses computer animation to distort the images of the plates, which are then converted to digital instructions for the loom. The textile is woven using single thread control, which gives the designer the freedom of unlimited repeat length. Interferens was awarded The AID +1 for Best New Product at the Copenhagen International Furniture Fair in 2007.
Sørensen began studying weaving while still in high school. She trained formally in woven textile design at the Kunsthåndværkerskolen (School of Applied Arts) in Kolding, Denmark, and further enhanced her skills at the famed Parisian tapestry workshop, Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins. Sørensen’s work has been exhibited internationally and she designs contract fabrics for Kvadrat and Georg Jensen Damask, in addition to producing her own tapestries.

This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Interplay between 2-D surface and 3-D structure.

This object was donated by Kvadrat (Ebeltoft, Denmark). It is credited Gift of Kvadrat.

  • Textile, Cloned Line
  • cotton.
  • Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. Florence Matthews, Mrs. Edward Stern,....
  • 1996-105-1

Our curators have highlighted 2 objects that are related to this one.

Its dimensions are

H x W: 299.7 x 142.2 cm (9 ft. 10 in. x 56 in.)

Cite this object as

Textile, Interferens; Produced by Kvadrat (Ebeltoft, Denmark) (Denmark); Denmark; wool; H x W: 299.7 x 142.2 cm (9 ft. 10 in. x 56 in.); Gift of Kvadrat; 2010-18-2

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<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18755479/ |title=Textile, Interferens |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=15 November 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>