Studio GEOMETR

Venue: Kyu Yamakano

Curator’s Text: Title: 《Changes of the Mountain》

Studio GEOMETR’s tapestry is hung in the passageway between the old Yamakano building and its warehouse, known for housing weaving machines back in the day. The title “Changes of Mountain” derives from an installation that evokes the image of Mount Fuji and how its appearance constantly changes depending on the influence of the sky. An artist group from the Czech Republic, Studio GEOMETR’s tapestry creates a unique worldview where their painting appears from the warp threads stretched on the loom and the weft thread weaved through after. A method loosely based on a technique called Ikat. While being conscientious of the history of Czech textiles—using hand-loom machines of the early 20th century and industrial looms that have continued since the end of the 19th century—Studio GEOMETR free-handedly paints vivacious abstract images, creating a form of expression that exceeds viewers’ expectations of textiles. For this, their tapestries have also been included in contemporary art exhibits. In addition to their environment in the Czech Republic, which is rich in nature, they’re source of inspiration also derives from their stays in other countries such as Indonesia and Japan. Motivated by these experiences, they create mental landscapes of our internal and external psyche. Their geometric and colorful work is an amalgamation of tradition and innovation, unique culture and internationalism, and the distinct characters of the two talented artists.

Artist Profile: Photo：Jan Hromadko

Studio GEOMETR
Linda Kaplanová and Klára Spišková met at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in 2008. They founded textile studio GEOMETR in 2016 which is focuses on the creation of textiles for interior architecture as well as fashion. A main part of their works are tapestries, textile wall paintings where they loosely follow the traditional ikat weaving technique. They use hand loom weaving and industrial weaving in cooperation with the last Czech weaving–mill running by family. Their intension is expressed through warp painting which is connected with a vivid range of colors. Inspirations comes from inner and outer landscapes and its geometry. In cooperation with architects ,they design specific textile for specific projects (Forma Fatal, Dagmar Stepanova – project Achiote, Malfinio – project E07).

In 2018 they won Czech Grand Design Awards 2017 in category "Discovery of the year". Part of this price was a study internship in one of the Czech centers and they chose Czech centre in Tokyo. Thanks to the research visit, they got opportunity to introduce their works to the Japanese public at the SKLo gallery in Kanazawa in 2021.