Double Bed Machine Knitting (Fall 2021)
Rhode Island School of Design
Captured Wings
In my machine knitting and weaving studio courses, I explored the colors and patterns of butterflies on a micro and macroscopic level. Like the individual knots and threads that connect the yarns, the butterfly's wing is covered by thousands of colorful scales and hairs. These wing scales are tiny overlapping pieces of chitin on a butterfly. Varying in density, the scales can be multicolor, luminous, and transparent. The scales are essential to a butterfly's health because they absorb heat from the light, which regulates the insect’s body temperature. Climate is important to the survival of butterflies and their wings act as a thermometer. However, these delicate wings can lose their scales when experimented with by hunters and scientists.
For my final project, I am exploring the structure of nets and how to create a garment that reflects the spirits of butterflies. Collecting actual butterflies rose in popularity in the 19th century in Europe, when the Victorians became fascinated with natural history. Then it was quite common for amateur entomologists to run around with butterfly nets and preserve their catch in display cases. While this phenomenon helped scientists with species identification, it also puts stress on the community. During the Victorian Era, butterfly wings also were incorporated in charms and lockets as ornaments. My garment will capture the body to display the idea of oppression, encasement, and possession. Nets are the fundamental action of hunting. Human actions are what caused many organisms to go extinct.
Some inspirations I researched were butterfly motifs on Asian lacquerwares. The art of inlaying lacquer with mother-of-pearl was intensively developed during the Song dynasty. Then Korea gradually adopted and evolved the lacquer technique into their distinct national style. Because of this, I grew up seeing many mother-of-pearl lacquerwares, and many consists of butterflies as the motifs. I think there is a significant connection between the act of collecting shells and the act of collecting butterfly wings. Exploring the lacquerware led me to study the ornate and elaborate style of baroque style. With the movement and drama, impressionist paintings were also an inspiration for the development of my work. Especially the paintings by Edgar Degas and Gustav Klimt helped me extract delicate and vibrant colors. Degas’s ballet dancer’s movement and skirts reminded me of the fluttering sense of butterfly wings. Gustav Klimt’s highly decorative and textured paintings are where I gained connection and inspiration for textiles. Klimt’s golden mosaic art especially influenced my final project.
A perfect garden is dead without fluttering wings of butterflies.
