Rest

We live in a world where many of us measure our self-worth on a scale of how busy we are. The length of our commutes, the volume of emails we respond to and the number of hours we work have become indicators of success.

In the midst of this busyness, Moments of Rest curated the fabrics associated with rest related practices collected from around thirty individuals. It provided the opportunity for a time of solitude, whilst raising questions about the spectacle of busyness in our day-to-day lives.

There was a vintage net curtain to illustrate looking out of the window, waterproof coats and tents to imply walking in the countryside, tea cosies and tablecloths for the ritual of tea-making and towels and flannels to suggest having a bath or shower. Each of the hanging Moments of Rest were created using recycled and second-hand fabrics, which could have potentially been exposed to the very situations they were representing.

As part of the Dark Matter MA Communication Design exhibition, I invited people to choose an exhibit that they most associate with rest, and stand with their head underneath the hanging fabrics. They were encouraged to breath deeply, close their eyes, allow their mind to wander, and feel the materials resting over their face. In the words of late fashion designer and philanthropist, Geoffrey Beene, “From fabric that is very flat, it just suddenly takes form and shape and meaning”.