︎︎︎TANTRA MEANS LOOM 

Tantra is an esoteric, multi-sensorial, and often synesthetic meditation tradition that originated from the South Asian subcontinent. It is an embodied practice that activates and calms the mind, body, and being. The word tantra comes from the root word tan which means ‘expansion’ or ‘warp,’ and the suffix tra refers to an ‘instrument’ or ‘loom.’ By extension—tantra references an ‘instrument for expansion’ that is said to align the body’s focal points that are metaphorically described as spinning wheels—the cakras—centered along an internal axis. The word tan also means ‘body.’ Tantric practices are inextricably connected to the body, and the body to the apparatus of the loom itself. In the space of tantra, the body is accessed through the modality of the senses.

︎︎︎ KNITS HOLD THE BODY

The most exceptional quality of a knitted fabric is its great degree of stretchability. Unlike wovens, the relatively new invention of the knitted fabric can morph to hold and envelope a great multitude of shapes and forms. The mutability of the knit makes it a diverse textile. The human body is always held in the arms of a textile—with knits, it is a tailored experience of feeling hugged and cocooned. While knits naturally make outstanding garments, they also lend to creating unique interior and exterior space interventions. Textiles in space are one layer removed from the body. To alter what Issey Miyake said: I would say, my fascination is with the interaction between the body and cloth in space. The form of the knit complicates and gives nuance to this relationship. How can a knit, if suspended in space, still hold the body?