Textile art doesn’t only consist of the traditional practice of stitching or quilting. For Anouk Desloges, textile art is a way of exploring the representation of abstract concepts, by constructing and then reconstructing her embroidered pieces. Removed from their traditional support, her embroidery is often juxtaposed with materials like plastic and metal, the finished pieces presenting symbolic allegories and literary allusions.
Desloges’ unique take on textile art is tied to her background in sculpture. Her pieces, often break away from their 2D constraints, take on three-dimensional forms, providing a bridge between crafting and fine art.
“Even though I have no academic training in textiles, playing with thread has always been something I kept doing with no intention of exhibiting my finished work,” explained Desloges in an interview with Textile Artist. “On presenting some of my projects to my teacher Jean-Pierre Morin, who was and still is a renowned artist in Canada, he took me aside and said something along the lines of: ‘You don’t have to become a sculptor if you don’t want to,” she recalls. “You don’t even have to graduate if you don’t want to. You’re an artist and you should do what you feel like doing.’”
Her teacher might have been the initial catalyst, but judging by Desloges’ rich portfolio, the passion for textiles was always there. Show her some love on Instagram.
