The Rhode Island School of Design exhibit “The Narrative of Making” will debut at both the Triennale International Exhibition Milan in April and the ICFF in New York City in May. Furniture design students worked with textiles students to “rethink” the use of soft materials in the design of furniture, using materials created through weaving, knitting, knotting and crocheting. Students developed a series of models over the fall 2015 semester, which resulted in the construction of the final prototypes for the shows.
Four pieces will be shown at Triennale: the Paper Crochet Chair, the Million Loops chair, the Looped Pile Seat, and the Stretch Lounge. ICFF will show those plus three other pieces: the Sinuous Chair, the Caterpillar Lounge, and the Wall-to-Wall chair.
“The furniture in ‘The Narrative of Making’ tells a visual story about how it was made. In each piece, various components come together in a transparent, self-explanatory manner,” said Associate Professor Lothar Windels, RISD Department of Furniture Design, who led the fall studio. “By focusing on authentic construction principles and accentuating the haptic qualities of the material, students present objects that allow for a deeper emotional attachment, contrasting the world of concealed consumer goods. We are grateful for the opportunity to display this interdisciplinary RISD project to an international audience via two world-class venues this year, and to notably be the only American school selected for the 'Under 35' event at the renowned Milan Triennale.”
