At the studio, we planted flax seeds to understand the material before it becomes fibre.
The seeds germinated quickly, first as small clusters of stems and eventually as tall, delicate plants producing blue flowers. Growing them introduced time into the investigation: watering, waiting, observing, and allowing the material to develop on its own terms.
Flax is usually encountered after transformation as linen, thread or cloth. Here, we wanted to begin earlier, with the living plant.
The plants will eventually be harvested and dried, and we will experiment with separating the fibres from the stems. Whether those fibres become thread, weaving, stitching, or remain in a less processed state is still unresolved.
What changes when a material is grown before it is used?
