Marc Leuthold’s Foray Into Fiberart

Marc Leuthold’s display at the 12th “From Lausanne to Beijing” International Fiberart Biennale Exhibition at the Yunnan Museum in China.

Chief Curator, Professor Lin Lecheng of Tsinghua University invited Marc Leuthold to create fiberart sculptures to exhibit in the 12th “From Lausanne to Beijing” International Fiberart Biennale Exhibition at the Yunnan Museum in China. For decades, this exhibition has served as the world’s foremost fiberart exhibition. 

Professor Lin invited Leuthold to work collaboratively with China National Craft Master Ai Jing Wei’s studio in Yunnan Province. In North America, Leuthold filmed short videos and created paper templates and maquettes.  Using Leuthold’s videos and stills, Mr. Ai’s artisans recreated the sculptures in silk.  Leuthold also directed variations of the historic indigo dying process to allow for varied results. This experiment yielded a collection of silk sculptures that, in combination with porcelains, are being exhibited in the Biennale among established fiberart masters. 

Leuthold comments, “My parents studied at the STF Schweitzerische Textilfachschule in Zurich and wove fabrics for decades. As a child, I designed for my father and from ages 12 to14, I wove every day. Blue and white porcelains are a revered tradition in China. Now, as a ceramist with my personal history, working with indigo to create blue and white silk sculptures seemed especially intriguing. I am deeply grateful to Professor Lin and Master Ai for supporting this project.”

Detail view.
Leuthold and Professor Lin Lecheng with Lin’s artwork.

Weaving: Renewing a Family Tradition

我父亲是来自瑞士苏黎世州的世界级纺织工作者;他是前包豪斯Johannes Itten的门生。我的母亲是苏黎世Textilfachschule的第一位女学生,在那里她遇到了我父亲。在我小的时候,父亲曾让我为他的公司设计纺织品。后来,12岁到14岁之间,我选择每天进行手工织布。后来我去了没有织布机的学校。我父亲告诉我,纺织行业正在消亡,他不会让我进入他的公司。在我就读的大学的艺术系里,纺织并不被视为一门艺术。相反,我将学习方向转为陶瓷,这是来自家族的另一种热情。结束学业以后,我的作品吸引了著名的纺织设计师Jack Lenor Larson,他一直将我置于他的庇护之下。通过他,我的作品被一些博物馆收藏,其中包括纽约大都会博物馆。我从未忘记过自己的“根”,林教授的生活和艺术作品使我着迷,他为我重新打开了纺织界的大门。回归纺织是一件如此令人愉悦的事情——这种创造性的与深思的实践将永远流淌在我的血液之中。

My father was a world-class weaver from the canton of Zurich in Switzerland; he was the protégé of Johannes Itten, formerly of the Bauhaus School. My mother was the first female student at the Textilfachschule in Zurich where she met my father. As a small child, my father invited me to design textiles for his firm. Later, from ages 12 to 14, by choice I hand-wove every day. Then I attended schools that did not have looms. My father told me textiles was a dying business and he would not let me join his firms. In the art departments of the universities I attended, weaving was not considered an art. So I turned to ceramics, which is another family passion. After my studies, my work appealed to famed textile designer Jack Lenor Larson who took me under his wing. Through him my work was collected by museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Never having forgotten my roots, Professor Lin’s life and artwork fascinated me. Professor Lin re-opened the door to weaving for me. It is a great pleasure to return to weaving, a creative and meditative practice that will always remain in my blood.

I am incorporating weaving in my new installations.