DIALOGUES Creating New Textile Futures

We are happy to announce and warmly welcome you to ‘DIALOGUES – Creating New Textile Futures’, an exhibition of creative design work, artistic exploration, material solutions and design pedagogy showcasing the multitude of textile work spanning over the different schools in Aalto University. Visit the exhibition in Dipoli Gallery, Aalto University from November 28, 2022 to February 28, 2023. 

The exhibition continues the series of DIALOGUES events, presenting textiles as a medium for future solutions. DIALOGUES launched in New York in November 2022 with a joint exhibition and seminar by Aalto University and Parsons – The New School.

Exhibition Dates: 28.11.22-28.02.23

Mon-Thu: 8:00–20:00 / Fri: 8:00–18:00 / Sat-Sun: Closed

Dipoli Gallery, Otakaari 24, 02150 Espoo / Aalto University

Visit the virtual exhibition

Photo: Helmi Korhonen
Photo: Helmi Korhonen
Photo: Helmi Korhonen
Photo: Helmi Korhonen
Photo: Helmi Korhonen
Photo: Helmi Korhonen
Photo: Helmi Korhonen

Dialogues Exhibition Team

Concept: Maarit Salolainen

Curation: Maarit Salolainen and Anna-Mari Leppisaari

Production: Nora Bremer

Exhibition design: Hanna Anonen

Graphic design: Aino Salonen

Dipoli exhibition curator: Edel O’ Reilly

Further information & exhibition contact: Edel O’Reilly, Curator, Aalto University edel.oreilly (at) aalto.fi

DIALOGUES – Exhibition and Seminar

Exhibition & Seminar
November 2-6, 2022, New York City
https://www.textilemonth.nyc/dialogues-creating-textile-futures

DIALOGUES is a transatlantic showcase of creative design work, material solutions and design pedagogy offering a platform for cross-sectoral dialogue on textile futures across borders. The exhibition and seminar take place in New York City from November 2nd to 6th as part of the New York Textile Month 2022.

The exhibition presents an interplay between the contemporary textile and fashion design practices by master’s students of Fashion and Textile Design at Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Finland and MFA Textiles Programme at Parsons in the United States. The seminar connects creatives, educators, innovators, and leaders from Finland and the US to reimagine the landscape of tomorrow’s textiles and fashion, driving a shared dialogue spanning over continents and into the future.

Sofía Guridi. Photo: Vertti Virasjoki

The projects from Aalto University include a research-driven project on compression textiles used in healthcare, a study on natural dyes that originate from food waste, and the dialogue between light-emitting technology and textiles, combining material science and traditional weaving.

“Aalto University with its six schools forms a multidisciplinary environment, which sets the scene for the student’s studies. The focus of the curation is on practice-led research and creative future solutions. Textile thinking and studio pedagogy, highlighted by the newly published book Interwoven – Exploring Materials and Structures, stand at the forefront of this exhibition, as they are the base for textile design studies at Aalto. We are delighted to share our textile stories with the MFA Textiles of Parsons in this New York Textile Month event. New innovations for textile futures come from shared passion, creative dialogues and interaction.” notes Maarit Salolainen, head of the Master’s in Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design at Aalto University.

DIALOGUES is presented by Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Parsons School of Design, The Consulate General of Finland in New York, The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York, Business Finland, and Juni Communication, in collaboration with New York Textile Month.

Aalto FaCT students and alumni taking part in the exhibition:

Aino Ojala, Elisa Defossez, Francesco Furlan, Jarno Kettunen, Laura Rusanen, Leevi Ikäheimo, Leonardo Hidalgo Uribe, Mithila Mohan, Nora Bremer, Praejeen Kunawong, Sofía Guridi, Ulla Vahteri, Yoonsik Kim, You-Chia Chen

Aalto University introduces “textile thinking” pedagogy. Professor Maarit Salolainen explains how textile knowledge is needed in many different fields. Understanding the essence of textile techniques, processes and practices, and grasping the basic alphabet of the textile field — fibres, materials and structures — is necessary when striving for new sustainable textile futures.

See more:

Dialogues Press Release

Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design website – Dialogues Event

Interwoven – Exploring Materials and Structures by Maarit Salolainen

Book cover Interwoven | Photo Eeva Suorlahti

Get your own copy and order from Aalto Shop

The long-awaited book authored by Maarit Salolainen, with contributions by Maija Fagerlund & Anna-Mari Leppisaari, is here!

Interwoven – Exploring Materials and Structures is a joyous exploration into woven textile design. It dissects woven structures along with the fibres and yarns used to make them, giving exceptional insight into the world of fabrics.

Interwoven outlines how the manifold history of textiles has been intertwined with human innovation from prehistoric twining to the invention of the binary code, through to today’s new material discoveries and urgent quest for sustainability. By investigating the past and present of textiles, and narrating their cross-cultural roles, meanings and influences, Interwoven illustrates how textiles have been used to tell human stories throughout the ages.

The book introduces a new pedagogical method for woven textile design studies, inviting the reader to take a seat at the looms to weave their own stories. Detailed instructions for creating textiles, ranging from fibres and yarns to basic weaves, multi-layered constructions and digital jacquard design, are interspersed by emotionally rich, tactile textile stories by Aalto ARTS design students. The way this book interweaves technical knowledge, artistic expression and storytelling makes it a unique guide on the path to mastering textile design.

This book weaves the warp of wisdom and the weft of wonder into a fabric of fascinating complexity. Displaying a burst of creativity coupled with a sense of functionality it shows a deep respect for our pummeled planet.From pre-historic constructions to futuristic applications, this book demonstrates the intelligence of weavingThis book weaves the warp of wisdom and the weft of wonder into a fabric of fascinating complexity. Displaying a burst of creativity coupled with a sense of functionality it shows a deep respect for our pummeled planet.From pre-historic constructions to futuristic applications, this book demonstrates the intelligence of weaving.”

-Lidewij Edelkoort

Aalto University introduces “textile thinking” pedagogy. Professor Maarit Salolainen explains how textile knowledge is needed in many different fields. Understanding the essence of textile techniques, processes and practices, and grasping the basic alphabet of the textile field — fibres, materials and structures — is necessary when striving for new sustainable textile futures.

Textiles Tomorrow Summit

Wednesday 30 – Thursday 31 October 2019
Venue: Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
+ Company Visits on Friday 1 November 2019, Helsinki

Textiles Tomorrow Summit brings together an international network of textile educators to discuss the future of textiles and share their knowledge and expertise. Aalto University is proud to host the second textile education conference initiated by Lidewij Edelkoort in 2018 at The New School/Parsons, New York.

textilestomorrowsummit.aalto.fi

CHEMARTS

Chemarts Summer School 2019 | Photo Eeva Suorlahti

CHEMARTS is a long-term strategic collaboration between two Aalto University schools, The School of Chemical Engineering (CHEM) and The School of Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS). The schools merged their forces with the aim to invent new ways to harness wood and cellulose. The idea is to research the performance and design of advanced cellulosic materials for innovative uses.

chemarts.aalto.fi

F/T Futures

Ioncell coat | Design Anna-Mari Leppisaari | Photo Eeva Suorlahti

The Fashion/Textile Futures research group explores new perspectives on human-centered design research. The group approaches research in the field of fashion, clothing and textiles in multi-faceted ways. A strong research focus is on sustainable and circular fashion and textiles, but group members’ research activities and strengths also include material-based research, aesthetics and creativity studies, practice-based research, and strategic fashion and textile management.

ftfutures.aalto.fi