Grethe Sørensen

Grethe Sørensen. Colored Spots 2 (248 x 162 cm. Unique piece)

This object listing has been archived.

Previously shown at Basel 2022.

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Description/

Grethe Sørensen’s desire to approach textile art from an optical perspective has, since 2005, resulted in a series of vibrating Jacquard weavings of light phenomenon derived from nature and computer technologies. Sørensen is fascinated with light effects and her tapestries show just how interesting the textile medium can be from an impressionistic point of view. While, at distance, the tapestries may appear quite similar to photographs, they become significantly different at closer hold. The woven pixels in ‘Colored Spots 2’ (2013) provoke a vibrating illusion of three-dimensionality, in which the light reflections are modulated into soft and vaporous reliefs through the artist’s virtuous use of threads in cotton, wool and polyester. Time seems to gain a slow pace, while the beholder is gradually discovering the amazing detail richness of the weavings, in which each pixel is translated into threads. Yet, within this myriad of points, Grethe Sørensen demonstrates her great sense of composition and control, creating timeless images of ephemeral light, not unlike Georges Seurat’s quiet, yet majestic pointillist paintings. Her masterly association of seemingly distinct worlds such as the digital and the natural, computer technologies and hand-craft, makes her a significant textile artist today.

Color: Several colours.

Materials: Jacquard weaving.

Grethe Sørensen

designer

Born in Viborg, Denmark, in 1947 Grethe Sørensen is considered as an important pioneer in the field of contemporary textile art. Grethe Sørensen’s desire to approach textile art from an optical, technological perspective has resulted in a series of fascinating Jacquard weavings inspired, since 2005, by various light phenomenon derived from nature as well as computer technologies. Sørensen’s ability to see possibilities in new technologies is manifest in the video animations she creates together with film director Bo Hovgaard, which she displays in the exhibitions next to the large-scale wall tapestries. These videos play a double function both as sketches for the unique weavings, which are made by the artist at the Tilburg Textile Museum, as well as independent works dialoguing with the tapestries. Sørensen’s works have been exhibited internationally, notably at the Museum for Applied Art, Copenhagen, Denmark; Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, France; Museum of Art, Ein Harod, Israel; Nagoya, Japan; Museum of Art, Sao Paulo, Brazil; North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks; Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Ghent, Belgium; and the Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. Her works are housed in several important museum collections, including the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, New York; Textilmuseet Borås, Sweden; Designmuseum Denmark; The Danish Arts Foundation; Trapholt Art Museum and the 21st Century Museum Hotel, Cincinnati.