◄ Overview
Alexis Gautier
Stair’s Legend (Black Sheep)
It is a widely acknowledged fact that the roots of computers are in textiles. The loom, with its over-and-under matrix, served as the inspiration for the binary system that still underpins digital technology today. Alexis Gautier’s woven pieces delve into this connection, pointing to deep historical connections between weaving and encoding. The works were developed through investigations in Nepal, Italy, England and India; in each location, Gautier identified symbols associated with local stories and mythology. In Lamjung Bhujung, for example, he was told the story of “a man who climbed the village stairs holding a staircase above his head” – an Escher-like image that appears in several of his designs. Each piece is woven in strips that correspond to the width of the weaver's waist, then joined during the felting process. The works were commissioned for the inaugural exhibition of Blue Projects at Blue Mountain School, London.
Tearsheet
Artist
Alexis Gautier
Material
Wool (backloom handwoven wool, felted)
Contributing Gallery
Blue Mountain School
Date
2016
Dimensions
74 in × 66 in × in
187.96 cm × 167.64 cm × 0.0 cm
ID
Image credit: Photography by Andy Malone
Stair’s Legend (Black Sheep), 2016
74 in × 66 in × in
Wool (backloom handwoven wool, felted)
Blue Mountain School
$0
It is a widely acknowledged fact that the roots of computers are in textiles. The loom, with its over-and-under matrix, served as the inspiration for the binary system that still underpins digital technology today. Alexis Gautier’s woven pieces delve into this connection, pointing to deep historical connections between weaving and encoding. The works were developed through investigations in Nepal, Italy, England and India; in each location, Gautier identified symbols associated with local stories and mythology. In Lamjung Bhujung, for example, he was told the story of “a man who climbed the village stairs holding a staircase above his head” – an Escher-like image that appears in several of his designs. Each piece is woven in strips that correspond to the width of the weaver's waist, then joined during the felting process. The works were commissioned for the inaugural exhibition of Blue Projects at Blue Mountain School, London.