first symptoms, the solo show of amsterdam-based kustaa saksi at the finnish institute in stockholm, presents six unique tapestries that draw from the artist’s scientific examination and personal experience with migraine. manufactured with jacquard weaving technique, the tapestries are woven using cotton warp with mohair, silk, alpaca, cashwool, velvet, rubber, viscose, copper and transparent polyester yarns resulting in richly layered, multi- sensory works.

kustaa saksi weaves his experience with migraine in richly layered colorful tapestriesall images courtesy of the artist

 

 

kustaa saksi has applied drastic contrasts in material use to portray the ways of migraine behavior, repeating patterns and rhythmic textures with disorders. the multidisciplinary textile artist has weaved patterns that sometimes appear like nerve cells building brain connections, resembling the growing roots of a horseradish or fractal-like lichtenberg figures. prodrome, aura, attack, post-drome – the phases of migraine seen in the tapestries are influenced by ornamentation from a variety of sources: from nature’s systems, scientific illustration and tribal art to black metal visuals. he has chosen the weaving technique and materials to emphasize the nature of migraine and to accent the healing approach of the artworks as well, them being tactile and gentle constructions. kustaa saksi weaves his experience with migraine in richly layered colorful tapestries

 

 

kustaa saksi (b. 1975) is a multidisciplinary textile artist living and working in amsterdam, the netherlands. ideas of nature seen from the abstracted edge of perception pervade all of his work. saksi has shown his works at museums worldwide, including victoria & albert museum, cooper hewitt museum, san jose museum of art, textielmuseum, design museum helsinki, museo poldi pezzoli, kunsthall stavanger and helsinki kunsthall. he has held solo exhibitions at galleries in new york, london, paris, hong kong, taipei, madrid, brussels, helsinki and amsterdam. saksi’s previous exhibitions hypnopompic (2013) and woolgathering (2016) have dealt with dreams, nightmares and hallucinations. kustaa saksi weaves his experience with migraine in richly layered colorful tapestries kustaa saksi weaves his experience with migraine in richly layered colorful tapestries kustaa saksi weaves his experience with migraine in richly layered colorful tapestries kustaa saksi weaves his experience with migraine in richly layered colorful tapestries kustaa saksi weaves his experience with migraine in richly layered colorful tapestries

 

 

project info:

 

 

artist: kustaa saksi

exhibition: first symptoms

location: finlandsinstitutets galleri /finnish institute gallery, snickarbacken 4, stockholm, suède
during stockholm furniture fair & stockholm design week

dates: 6 february – 2 march 2019