12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: OMA SPACE
The Selvedge 12 Days of Christmas 2021 prize draws are open! From 1 - 12 December you can enter for a chance to win one of our 12 prizes. Every day while entries are open we will look at each prize in more detail.
Today, its OMA Space who have very kindly donated two Space Hemp bags to give away. Read on for our interview with them to find out more about their creative studio and craft.
Tell us a little about OMA Space. Who are you and what do you make?
OMA Space is a creative studio with many branches based primarily on textiles. We started creating garments and accessories eight years ago, mostly handmade one-off pieces and limited editions. Since then, the studio has evolved in different directions, as we are transposing our textile know-how into art and design, recently involving large-scale immersive installations. This artistic evolution has led us to a new art and tech approach, or more precisely craft and tech, mixing traditional techniques with new technologies.
In 2019 we were awarded a six-month residency by Google Arts & Culture to use the new Jacquard by Google and the exhibition of our first installation in Paris took place during the International Contemporary Art Fair. Our works are all based on our relationship to nature and on the essential notion of Zen and transcendence, implying contemplative and meditative processes.
How is your craft connected to your heritage and culture?
In 2020, we started to initiate the hemp movement in Korea. Korean hemp has a long history in the making of diverse elements such as paper, textiles and other various objects. The culture and use of hemp was forbidden under the dictatorship in the 1980s, mostly because of the consumption of marijuana. Today, hemp is considered worldwide as one of the most ecological and promising natural materials, namely as an alternative to create new products for a better environmental paradigm. We started to gather the few remaining farmers, makers, artists and monks using hemp in traditional and contemporary ways, with the intention to create a revival of the hemp culture in the country.
What techniques do you use? Where and how did you learn this craft?
We have been developing our own homemade techniques to create specific textures, effects and renderings. This constant research and development allows us to experiment with new forms and proprietary know-how that we can use and transpose in all our different fields of creation. We learned the textiles craft through our studies in Seoul and then in London. But we really learned through our years of work, experiences and travels, collaborating with other craftsmen and makers all around the world and keeping a high level of interest and curiosity in all forms of ancestral and innovative techniques.
What materials do you use? Where are they from and how are they processed?
We use a wide range of organic materials such as: nettle, hemp, wild silk, linen, cotton and natural dyes such as indigo, fermented ebony, acorn fruit and many kind of Korean herbs. We source our materials from Korea, Japan, Thailand, Laos, Turkey and Europe. They are processed mostly by hand or mechanical tools through our networks of makers we collaborate with, or directly in our own workshop.
Can tell us about the OMA Space design process?
Design enriches our lives. Design products are made to make our lives more convenient, but yet the majority of products dull our senses and ruin the environment. Designers should create designs that preserve our instincts and protect the environment. The design motto of OMA Space is not to create superficial and visual effects, but to observe the essence of craft with a fundamental approach and enrich our lives.
How are your products are economically and environmentally sustainable?
We are not part of the fashion industry and we don’t work with factories to meet the obligations of supply and demand. Our work is not dictated by the rhythm of the market, with seasons and fashion shows. We are artists and artisans working on a niche and exclusive market, producing at a small scale for a faithful and growing network customers. We put our faith in the rarity and durability of the natural constituents in our products. Unique and beautiful handmade garments live in a space beyond trends and are now becoming the latest collectable luxury. A new generation of customers and collectors is investing in garments and objects that will stand the test of time in our ever-changing cultural and environmental landscape. Our business model allows us to remain independent and keep our work philosophy focussed on respect for environmental sustainability and the artisans working with us.
--
To enter the prize draw for any one of our 12 prizes, use the link found in our weekly Selvedge newsletter sent on Thursdays (scroll to the bottom!), or visit the digital subscriber page and enter your code for access.
If you're not a newsletter subscriber, scroll to the bottom of this page and sign up for emails.
To find out more about OMA Space, visit their website: www.omaspace.com
View the rest of the prizes here:
