Felt at the Cooper Hewitt
Swing Low Cradle, Soren Ulrick Petersen, produced by SUP Design, wool felt, hemp rope, 1997 Photo: Erik Brahl
A major new exhibition on felt in all its manifestations is on at New York City’s Cooper Hewitt Museum until 7 September.
Fashioning Felt features over 70 items ranging from historic, traditional felts through to cutting-edge examples of felt furniture, felt construction materials and felt fashion.
The exhibition explores all aspects of the material, displaying both traditional yurts, (as well as a specially commissioned yurt by felter Janice Arnold) shepherds’ cloaks and animal trappings, before moving on to its use in contemporary design. Here there are elegant felt suits and dresses, including a seamless dress from Andrea Zittel’s A-Z Personal Uniform Series, and Soren Ulrick Petersen’s Swing Low Cradle, that looks like a cross between a giant slipper and a mini spacecraft. There’s also a group of carpets which show how contemporary designers have given the traditional felt floor covering a serious make over; Tord Boontje’s Little Field of Flowers carpet is worth looking out for here as is LAMA Concept’s Cell LED carpet which transforms the carpet into a colourful light source.
www.cooperhewitt.org
