Kylie was selected as the sole undergraduate textile design student at NC State to participate in a commissioned installation for the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) North Carolina. She collaborated with a Ph.D. student, Yulan Liu, textile design faculty, and alumni to create a large-scale textile installation using donated recycled saris.
The project explored how traditional textiles and reclaimed materials could be transformed into a contemporary installation. Through draping, construction, and material manipulation, two 10-foot-tall installations were designed and fabricated to showcase the art and cultural significance of the donated textiles within a public festival setting.
Concept & Inspiration
The installation was created around the idea of celebrating textiles as a form of art, storytelling, and cultural expression. Each sari's color, pattern, movement, and material qualities were explored to experiment with what looked best together.
Using reclaimed textiles also allowed the project to explore sustainability and the creative possibilities of working with materials that already have a history.
Materials & Techniques Used
- Donated recycled saris
- Textile draping
- Layering and material manipulation
- Large-scale installation techniques
- Collaborative textile development
Kylie's Role
As part of the project team, Kylie contributed to the inspiration, development, prototyping, construction, and set up of the installation, working with Yulan Liu. Textile Design professors Kate Nartker and Traci Lamar were beyond helpful. Kylie helped transform individual donated textiles into a cohesive large-scale installation and participated in the full installation process.
Installation
The completed installation measured 10 feet tall and required approximately 8 hours to install. The finished work was displayed at the Jaipur Literature Festival North Carolina and was later relocated for continued display in a temple.
What Kylie Learned
This project gave Kylie experience taking a textile concept from development through large-scale public installation. It strengthened her understanding of material manipulation, collaboration, problem-solving, and designing with reclaimed materials that she had never worked with before. Most importantly, it showed Kylie how textiles can move beyond traditional applications and become an immersive part of a larger environment.