A lifelong sufferer of migraines, Amsterdam-based artist Kustaa Saksi decided to deal with the phenomenon by devoting an entire collection of work to it—specifically the visual delusions that often accompany the pulsating pain. The result is Hypnopompic, a series of tapestries that display intricate, crazy, colorful patterns and geometric textures. Look closely and you’ll see fanged monkeys, shaggy spiders, twisted snakes, and other beautifully bizarre creatures both fictitious and real.
Saksi is exhibiting his psychedelic textiles and a selection of related prints as part of this week’s ARCOmadrid, Spain’s leading contemporary art fair (he’s previously shown them in New York, Helsinki, and London; they’ll head to the Tilburg Textile Museum in April). Each year the fair chooses a “focus country”—this year it’s Finland, where Saksi is from—that serves as a theme for a pavilion and collateral programming, which includes Saksi’s exhibition. His work is housed at CentroCentro, an off-site venue that’s part of the stately Plaza de Cibeles, a landmark neoclassical complex located in the heart of Madrid.
Each graphic was crafted on a mechanical jacquard loom, which can generate surreal detail and complex material combinations. Saksi contrasted natural mohair, alpaca wool, cotton, and linen with synthetic hi-tech materials like glow-in-the-dark phosphoric and metallic acrylic threads. His unorthodox mixing makes for striking, otherworldly textiles that cast a hypnotic spell.
A master of many mediums, Saksi is best known as an illustrator whose visuals have taken the form of installations, sculptures, murals, wallpaper, dishware, and more. We caught up with the artist to learn more about his mind-bending compositions.
ARCOMADRID runs from February 19 - 23
Tiffany Jow: What’s your personal experience with delusions, dreams, and half-asleep hallucinations?
Kustaa Saksi: What's happening in the visual cortex during migranes has always interested me as I've long suffered from the attacks. I’m fascinated by Oliver Sacks’ endless curiosity and research in hallucinations, as well as the stages and patterns our minds can experience. My exhibition title, Hypnopompic, refers to a state of sensory confusion when the process of waking up gets mixed with the dream world into a surreal reality. It's a specific state of consciousness in which you can often see creatures like spiders, monkeys, or insects in a room turned into a lush jungle or deep forest. A hypnopompic state has also been affiliated with visual delusions caused by migraines. The resulting visualizations are thought to have contributed to the traditions of ornamentation, mosaic, and textile as well, which is why we find them so appealing in our brain architecture.
Why did you opt to use the jacquard weaving technique?
Saksi is exhibiting his psychedelic textiles and a selection of related prints as part of this week’s ARCOmadrid, Spain’s leading contemporary art fair (he’s previously shown them in New York, Helsinki, and London; they’ll head to the Tilburg Textile Museum in April). Each year the fair chooses a “focus country”—this year it’s Finland, where Saksi is from—that serves as a theme for a pavilion and collateral programming, which includes Saksi’s exhibition. His work is housed at CentroCentro, an off-site venue that’s part of the stately Plaza de Cibeles, a landmark neoclassical complex located in the heart of Madrid.
Each graphic was crafted on a mechanical jacquard loom, which can generate surreal detail and complex material combinations. Saksi contrasted natural mohair, alpaca wool, cotton, and linen with synthetic hi-tech materials like glow-in-the-dark phosphoric and metallic acrylic threads. His unorthodox mixing makes for striking, otherworldly textiles that cast a hypnotic spell.
A master of many mediums, Saksi is best known as an illustrator whose visuals have taken the form of installations, sculptures, murals, wallpaper, dishware, and more. We caught up with the artist to learn more about his mind-bending compositions.
ARCOMADRID runs from February 19 - 23
Tiffany Jow: What’s your personal experience with delusions, dreams, and half-asleep hallucinations?
Kustaa Saksi: What's happening in the visual cortex during migranes has always interested me as I've long suffered from the attacks. I’m fascinated by Oliver Sacks’ endless curiosity and research in hallucinations, as well as the stages and patterns our minds can experience. My exhibition title, Hypnopompic, refers to a state of sensory confusion when the process of waking up gets mixed with the dream world into a surreal reality. It's a specific state of consciousness in which you can often see creatures like spiders, monkeys, or insects in a room turned into a lush jungle or deep forest. A hypnopompic state has also been affiliated with visual delusions caused by migraines. The resulting visualizations are thought to have contributed to the traditions of ornamentation, mosaic, and textile as well, which is why we find them so appealing in our brain architecture.
Why did you opt to use the jacquard weaving technique?
The loom makes it possible to weave complex, mechanically patterned silk fabrics. The jacquard weaving machines were actually the first computers ever created as they were controlled by punched cards, like 1’s and 0’s.
For me, as a person with a background in graphic design, weaving definitely has its limitations compared to printing. But on the other hand, it opens up a completely new world of possibilities, especially in detailing. In my textiles, I use the jacquard weaving technique for its magnificent control over detailing, color, and material combinations. As the process is computer-controlled and digital by nature, I can have more precise an