Heimtextil 2019 | Atelier ushitamborriello

As the biggest textiles trade fair in the world, Heimtextil focuses on presenting and bringing together a wide range of different textile products, inventions and markets. The focus in many cases is on cloth as a semi-finished product, and this is the subject of our attention in this installation.
 
The fabric acts as a filter, an enticing cover, a self-assured bearer of the most diverse statements and a smooth, supple form of protection – all at the same time. It sets a limit without excluding anything, remains permeable and arouses curiosity. It is especially interesting when this flat, flexible textile wraps itself around an object: it can take on any form, thereby defining both an interior and an exterior space. It can be folded, looped or knotted – constantly adopting a new shape.
 
Japan has a long tradition of using simple cloths, namely the furoshiki.
The basis for this varied range of tying and folding techniques is a square piece of cloth measuring 70 x 70 to 100 x 100 cm. It is used for decorative gift wrapping, as a practical shoulder bag, to protect valuables or as a simple means of transporting things. And it always remains the square piece of cloth it originally was: re-usable in all its forms and therefore sustainable.
 
As such, our installation traces the relationship between space and surface. It attempts to bring together the outer and the inner in a playful manner, inviting observers to stroll around and explore it. And it also demonstrates how a shift of perspective can change our perception ofthe world.