Rhythm and Regeneration

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed all our lives, throwing us into chaos and having a negative impact on many people’s mental health. Anxiety, isolation and stress are commonplace in all ages. How can we use textiles to bring a sense of peace and calm to this chaotic time of our lives? In my Final Major Project, I will be exploring the idea of ‘Rhythm’; how the rhythmic qualities in meditative practice can restore a sense of tranquillity and harmony to our emotional wellbeing. 

There are two places that I will be looking to capture ‘Rhythm’, the first of which is human experience. Where do we experience Rhythm and meditation? I will be looking at processes such as running, breathing, dancing, exercise and weaving itself.

The second place we can find Rhythm is in nature. I will look at ideas surrounding Biomimicry and natures deep patterns – where rhythm and harmony can be found. Biomimicry is a design process that’s seeks to understand nature and emulate it. There are many ideas within this, but I wish to focus on the idea of local and regional textile systems and the carbon cycle, how soil-to-soil textile systems can benefit us and the planet. In feeling closer to nature and our surroundings we can regenerate ourselves. I will identify which materials, such as Ryeland wool (see my previous post) and Flax, can be found in Herefordshire and how textile systems could be built around these. Taking inspiration and information from organisations such as Fibreshed. How can we use textiles to regenerate ourselves as we work our way out of the pandemic? Being emotionally connected to our textiles and our locality can be of benefit to us.