SA002322 5

Raamwerk II

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Jas & Cal

2021 curtain
Materials stainless steel cotton

In ‘Raamwerk II’, JAS&CAL investigates the possibilities of weaving refined, lightweight materials for use in window coverings and room dividers.

Specifications

  • Raamwerk II
  • Jas & Cal
  • curtain
  • interior textiles
  • Lotte van Dijk
  • 2021
  • jasc-210922-SJ
  • SA002322
  • light, rigid, translucent

Yarns

  • stainless steel | RVS
  • cotton | CO | biological

Project

Jasmijn Wester and Calvin Kooiman are the designers behind JAS&CAL. Driven by an intense curiosity about how textiles are made, they experiment with tools, techniques and materials. In 2020, they began investigating woven window coverings, finding inspiration in samples from the museum collection and their own archive of hand-woven samples. They opted to experiment with a fabric comprising a stainless-steel weft and cotton warp. The varying weaves produce open and closed structures in the fabric while the metal yarns create a surprisingly delicate play of light.

Process

The ‘Raamwerk’ project was inspired by the play of light on a small woven sample made with metal yarn. The designers also found inspiration in the light reflecting off the rows of Dutch greenhouses seen from the sky, a publication about window coverings by Weverij De Ploeg, sample books from the TextielMuseum’s collection as well as their own extensive archive of hand-woven samples.
JAS&CAL experimented with open and closed woven structures derived from lace. They also tried weaving with metal yarn. The project is a work in progress, and the designers continue to research possible applications. Weaving with a metal weft is new and requires a lot of testing. An accidental discovery during one of these tests was a rib weave that produced a very different result in metal than in cotton, creating openings in the fabric. Various rib weaves were researched to see how they reflected and filtered the light. With this technique the weft yarns are woven around the warp yarns and in combination with the tight grip of the metal produce a sheer and open fabric allowing the light to pass through freely. These open structures intentionally provide insight into the weave construction and are visual cues that invite the observer to an attentive look.
The use of metal yarn gives the fabric a special effect. Depending on the weave, it either reflects light or transmits it. At the same time, it has a very subtle appearance. JAS&CAL try to use these effects optimally and apply them in the elaboration of different patterns. It is a game of function and aesthetics.

Creator

Jas & Cal

Jasmijn Wester and Calvin Kooiman are JAS&CAL. The duo is driven by a lively curiosity in the way textiles are made. By discovering techniques and working with the material they get new and valuable insights. Through their work they contribute to more awareness of textiles and materials.
In their studio they experiment freely with materials and tools. These explorations form the starting point for their translation into textile designs. The results vary between handcraft and machine-made, from unique interior pieces to spatial textiles that connect materials, process and colour. In the outcome all with the same meticulous attention to tactility, simplicity and refinement.

photo: Gail Meijer | Gail Meijer Photography
photo: Gail Meijer

Exhibitions & Publications

‘Between No-Longer and Not-Yet’, Kazerne Home of Design, Dutch Design Week, 2021

‘Raamwerk’ , OBJECT at HAKA-building Rotterdam, 2022

‘Secrets of making #2 – Artists and designers in the TextielLab’, TextielMuseum Tilburg, May 2022 - June 2023