Oemni, A Mythical Stuff Tapestry and Vessel
Sandra Keja Planken’s latest Oemni Mythical pieces call to mind puffy cumulus nature forms, like some kind of landscape or coral growing at the bottom of the sea. All the offbeat shapes that Sandra has been creating lately, will soon be on view in a Dutch design group show called ‘Nothing Happens if Nothing Happens’ at the Isola Design Gallery_Dutch corner in Milano. And from June on as part of the 6 pieces exhibition ‘MakerSecrets’ at the Dutch contemporary Textile Museum. Both vessel and tapestry are distant descendants of various natural human centric forms, therefore Oemni (Omni & Me).
Oemni, Mythical Stuff Tapestry
A signature layered, anthropomorphic and colorful landscape. Though the expressive work challenges you to apply the ‘Art of Looking’. What are we looking at, what is used and why? After studying Vermeer’s proces and color characteristics while looking beyond the current umwelt, a daring piece with lively color palettes, natural qualities of materials and a sense of playfulness emerged. The vibrant Vermeer blues, bright yellows, powerful reds and purples meet her colorful and natural landscape vision and become intensely intertwined. The work challenges the traditional perception of structures and materials and is constantly evolving before the eye of the beholder, just like mankind and nature itself. In the Textiel-Lab Sandra combined the traditional techniques of tufting and passementerie into this mythical landscape. With an idiosyncratic selection of dead-stock yarns that are no longer standard in the TextielLab’s range and use, in the context of sustainability. Such as chenille, transparent plastic and ‘rope’ yarn. With recycled yarn from old clothing to Wolkat (cotton with Vermeer mother used as a textile Artis) and recycled PET bottles incorporated into the tapestry.
Oemni, Mythical stuff Glass Vessel
In the Glass museum Leerdam, Sandra formed an additional object based on the textile mythical work, which is launched together with the textile work. Draping, handblown and hand formed shapes come together in a enlarged nature-like vessel. Her yarns & colors are translated into a fantasy vessel with remnant glass and colors from the glass lab. They tapestry and vessel have one thing in common: they blur the boundaries between past, present and future in working ways & materials and show a rather unique way of approaching objects. Where senses are enhanced, color accents create intriguing combinations, the visual focal points are abundant but never overwhelming, the material combinations are bold and durable and the textures invite a more intimate look at both concept and process. Collectibles with a message and bespoke human centric experience. “For me it’s about creating unique collectibles, spaces and intuitive experience with a message”.
‘Oemni’ will be on show at Isola Design District
During Milan Design Week 2023
18 ⎯ 23 April, 2023
www.isola.design