A&D ANNUAL 2021

Courtney Moss

Woven memories is a set of three textile wall hangings woven from upcycled fabric scraps predestined for landfill, facilitating an understanding of how sustaining an emotional attachment to a textile item can extend its lifecycle. Expanding on the research of Johnathon Chapman, his theory of emotionally durable design acknowledges that sustainability can be informed by personal meaning invested into an object. In this case, the impact of the memory of making is inhabited within the wall hanging, leading to an increased value of the textile product. The project is developed through material transposition in hand spinning recycled fabric yarn with an active memory recording for three months. It is additionally accompanied by documentation of the construction process in the form of a time-lapsed video with an audio soundscape. This accompaniment aims to deepen the connection between the textile and its owner through the example of time and skill put into the work. The weavings explore the environmental footprint of fashion consumption and investigate the shift in sustainable responsibility from upcycling alone to placing a greater focus on the embodiment of emotional importance held within a textile item.