Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Tell us about your company and the creations you’ll soon be featuring online.
‘Holding One Another’ aka HOA, is an attempt to sit with questions that resonate in my movement practice (as a dance artist) into another form–through textile and natural dye work.
Initially, the dye work acted as a continued exploration of my movement process, where I desired and continued to connect to how, within a bound object there is still room to expand, impact, and transform. I love some of the aspects of ‘memory’ that are discussed in these practices.
As the baths durationally allow the movement of fluids to find place and space in the bound fabrics, insisting on imprinting its memory (of time). Those moments were made permanent. The touch and temperament of each dye maker is unique to each piece, not one is the same. The imprinted effects and shapes, represent the individual in their absolute truth.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
TEARS from Sky to Sea’ – RainyPanes
Play, experimentation, awe, future envisioning, and pleasure escapism are all reasons I connect to the tactility of bleach extraction, natural dye processes and so called ‘craft’. I am a woman of colour with Indo-Caribbean British Ukrainian ancestry, these practices of textile and natural dye processes are in essence somatics! The relationship is directed towards healing, care, and connectedness in an abolitionist response towards future envisioning from histories of trauma and pain to transform from places and spaces of not belonging, grief, loss and longing with sensorial, intentionality and presence.
I will be featuring a collection of indigo-dyed pieces with two variations of binding techniques and some experimentation, ‘BLUE’ Tears from Sky to Sea in three parts; CryDrop, RainyPanes and Drowning. The second part of the collection are airbrushed long sleeves with imprints of silver chains entitled Chaining Power. These are a reclamation of empowerment, sexy, joyful, celebratory, holding loved ones to liberation.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
“Chaining Power”
You’re creating an online presence with your Shopify platform. Tell us a little about the challenges, new insights or the skills gained along the way as you created your platform.
I’m very much challenged, and continue to be, with technological operations. As I worked through the very user-friendly site, I had difficulty around how to use online platforms to define my aesthetics and vision. As well as the basic and simple understandings of how to set up all the necessary steps towards ease in sharing products with the world.
The biggest insight for me in this process was acknowledging, affirming and understanding the value in the products I am making and its relationship to my larger desires, being Somatic practising. I enjoyed the learning of how to ‘brand’ and conceptualize pieces I make, which previously were predominantly made for my loved ones and the need to survive through creative and artistic practising.
Lastly, I realized along the way that my individual experience in creating these works is to reconnect, and through the processes, I learn, explore and practice elements of “how do I care for myself and for my loved ones and community?” Finding ways forward collectively, to care, listen, touch with greater understanding for ourselves and each other, emphasising connectivity and collectivity. I am grateful for the reflectiveness of this process.
What are you most excited about considering your new platform?
I had one opportunity to create merchandise for The Toronto Dance Community Love-In’s summer festival for the 2021 season, which was my very first delve into creating products with continued importance on experimentation. It was received really well, and so I am most looking forward to sharing these pieces, presented in this way, a second time to a larger audience with farther reach!
Visit Nyda’s online shop HOA and others’ at www.sketch.ca/holidaygiftguide.
The post Holiday Gift Guide Feature: Interview with Artist-Vendor Nyda Kwasowsky appeared first on SKETCH Working Arts.