Anke Loh
"Embroidered-Touch Tablecloths"
(2022)
Cloth, electronics, conductive wire, recycled wood, video (installation view Facility, Chicago)
Designer, artist, and educator Anke Loh works at the intersection of fashion, art and technology. With a focus on textile development and wearable tech, she collaborates with scientists, designers, artists and community members to explore ways to build community through craft and making. The array of textiles and garments she has created, many from recycled materials, features varying degrees of touch sensitivity that elicits sounds as a response to touch. Her tablecloths with interactive embroidery displayed on custom tables made with repurposed legs and tops, are the result of her collaboration with the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and Chicago artists Christine Shallenberg and Peter Maunu. When touched, the sensory embroidery “plays” soothing soundscapes assembled from field recordings of nature and urban spaces, along with a blend of spoken words, string and percussion instruments. Loh’s long-term research objective is to discover new ways for technology to alleviate feelings of isolation, particularly among marginalized communities, an approach influenced by the pandemic and social unrest in the US. It also is a response to the need for change in the fashion industry to foster sustainable practices for creating, producing and consuming garments.
Loh’s multi-disciplinary approach has attracted international recognition and awards, including the Laureate at the Festival International des Arts et de la Môde in Hyères, France. Her work has been featured at New York’s Fashion Week, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Japan’s Osaka Collection Show, and Mode Expo Antwerp, Belgium.
