Reflect 1 and Reflect 2 (textiles)

'Reflect 1' and 'Reflect 2' are textiles designed by Jennifer Shellard, and exhibited at a major international textile event. The exhibition "Visions in Textiles - From Tradition to Textile Art/Design of Tomorrow" was a key event organised around the 2005 European Textile Network Annual Conference in Izmir, Turkey, alongside a schedule of workshops, lectures and cultural visits.

The aim of the exhibition and accompanying catalogue, was to represent textile art and design informed by participants’ cultural heritage and reflecting contemporary interpretations.

While the selected pieces had been a focus for investigations into the balance, relationship of colour and composition, further research went into the trial, selection and application of UV light sources. The overall aim of providing a soft, barely perceptible compositional focus or aura demanded a visual blending as well as technical and precise integration within the installation. The objective of creating of a ‘super-real’ colour was in keeping with the ‘sublime’ aesthetic – the stated quest behind this undertaking. Experiments with yarn dyeing resulted in the creation of a range of chromatic greys comprising a gradation of 24 tones, which were used in the creation of a painstakingly shaded warp and weft.

Through a series of prototypes and redesigns, a suitable compositional structure was finally developed and refined for this exhibition. These frames were precisely engineered to effectively house the fluorescent light, while situating it the required distance from the textile firmly and securely tensioning the textile to conceal the light source.

Jennifer Shellard

Research Interests

Light emitting; Minimal textile compositions; Woven textile installations; U.V. activated fluorescent; Digital colour animation; Subjective colour interaction

Current Research

My investigation into qualities and interactions of textiles with light continue to evolve and develop through a range of processes. Research into light responsive materials initially led to the development of installations - assembled structures - which integrated hand woven textiles with concealed U.V. lighting. The effect of the illumination, whilst distinctly visible in the work, harmonised discreetly and provided a soft focus by activating fluorescent elements within the composition, decreasing gradually and with subtlety down the length of the installation.

Hand-woven lengths were tensioned over structures housing the U.V. lights. These were strategically positioned to optimise the effect of the yarns as well as enhancing the incrementally gradating weave structures. This line of enquiry has recently evolved into experiments with strategically positioned digital light projection in which animated fragments of colour very slowly change through a spectrum to interact with the engineered colour compositions of the textile. The effect is intentionally subtle and challenges the viewer's perceptual experience.
As the project continues to evolve, I aim to seek opportunities for collaborations in developing and exhibiting in architectural spaces where ambient lighting can be manipulated, and where the impact of light and colour on the various reactive materials can be precisely manipulated.

• http://www.etn-net.org/etn/213be.htm