Libby Gallagher
Specialising in regenerative and biodegradable woven textile art, I showcase the potential of plant based origins for the textiles industry.
Specialising in regenerative and biodegradable woven textile art, I showcase the potential of plant based origins for the textiles industry.
The Promise of Dormancy
My project values regeneration and traceability, spotlighting tier 4 of the textile supply chain; raw materials. I explore a growing convergence of art, design, ecology and holistic anthropology for a deepening sense of shared responsibility, inspired by the ‘New Perennial’ Dutch horticultural movement.
I present ecologically relevant materiality, with an experimental combination of plant based wovens, paper pulp and raw plant material.
The ‘New Perennial’ movement values plant self-regeneration, muted colour, structure and layered texture. Perennial plants, meaning ‘through the years’, flower or seed multiple times within successive years or seasons, regenerating from their rootstock or overwintering structures. The project is conceptually based on these plant dormancy structures such as seed heads, bulbs, tubers, woody stems/crowns & turions, informing visual, compositional and material design choice.
I create textile art which mimics the dormant state within the perennial lifecycle, with a skeletal, organic and muted design palette. All pieces are allowed to decay and amend in their own debris to sustain future growth.
I present the promise and beauty of future preservation through dormancy.
Material circularity and life cycle assessment is key to this project, using plant based raw material, fibre and yarn, most notably flax, hemp and nettle. The biodegradable collection showcases interwoven experimental materiality forming a layered narrative of origin and potential for plant based textiles.
My collection rewards and feeds curiosity. Showcasing versatility in form, scale and application at various stages of the material’s processed life. I intend to provoke appreciation for the truth of raw plant materiality and its potential.
Journey to the Show, a selection of previous work & experiences
