Lucy Folan; Lucy Folan X Lottozero Textile Laboratory; Culture Moves Europe
Lucy Folan
Lucy Folan
- Cineál Tionscadail
- Fashion and textiles
- Teideal
- Lucy Folan; Lucy Folan X Lottozero Textile Laboratory; Culture Moves Europe
- Release Date
- 2023
- Funding Strand
- Culture Moves Europe
In June 2023, artist Lucy Folan spent the month as a resident at Lottozero Textile Laboratory in the city of Prato, the largest textiles centre in Europe.
Lucy commented on her residency saying that, 'There was no better place for me to take the time to learn and think about my relationship with textiles as a designer. During my first week at Lottozero I visited a factory where discarded garments were being broken down so that the fibres could be recycled into new materials.
The scale of garments waiting to be recycled is something I feel that all designers and consumers need to be exposed to. This opportunity allowed me to take time to experiment with new textiles techniques: Silk-screen printing, sublimation printing, cyanotype printing and embroidery.
I took careful consideration of sustainability in my sampling, by making use of waste plastics to expose images on screen or directly using them by heat pressing plastics into fabrics to create prints on textiles.'
'This project was an opportunity for me to explore textiles methods and experiment in the laboratory at Lottozero in Prato. This month long residency developed into an exploration of the city around me where garment and textiles production is all around. In particular, I was fascinated by the garment recycling factories in the city which have been part of the community for decades. This experience has greatly influenced my own attitude to sustainability and circularity and shaped my career path. In addition to this, the laboratory at Lottozero is a fantastic space for co-working, exhibitions and equipment. My time there has shown me how valuable creative facilities are for creatives and production. I hope to do further research on these types of spaces across Europe as I believe this is something Ireland would benefit greatly from.' Lucy FolanAcross Borders - Across the Board (2023 - 2024)