Karen Rubado
Weaving Structural Improvisation
“Weaving line by line is a process of aggregation and transformation. The fabric expands, the thread diminishes. The rhythmic movements of hand weaving recall the choreography of the body in contemporary dance. Hands, feet, arms, and legs traverse the stage of the loom, leaping between certainty and uncertainty, structure and freedom, known and unknown.”
By creating an environment that encourages the unexpected and allows for spontaneity, issues that arise become potential opportunities, expanding the space for discovery. In jazz and modern dance, the technique of extemporising within pre-determined boundaries is known as structural improvisation. Employing a similar approach, my weaving practice becomes a subtle form of opposition to the authorial powers of tradition and the expectations emanating from both craft and contemporary art conventions.
Weaving is a methodical and meditative practice that allows one to oscillate between periods of mind wandering and concentration. Repetition is frequently disrupted by uncontrolled events that show up in the work as blemishes. It is the imperfections that I find intriguing. They point to disrupted expectations and moments of transformation that contrast with snippets of well-choreographed intersections.
