Textile, Quadruple cloth

Jennifer Robertson has developed a vernacular and culturally thematic language among landscape, wool, the human form, and interior space. This quadruple cloth—four layers woven simultaneously—was woven on a specialized computerized and semi-automated 32-shaft loom that allows Robertson to weave multilayered textiles. NUNO, an innovative Japanese textile firm known for its creative use of advanced technologies, commissioned Robertson to develop designs for their accessory line. This particular piece reflects the mutual influence and inspiration produced by their collaboration.
Robertson is a lecturer in the Textiles Workshop, School of Art, Australian National University. Born in England, she studied at the Royal College of Art and moved to Australia in 1986 where she and her huband established a studio practice producing wearable and furnishing textiles.
This piece, along with another piece proposed for acquisition, would be the first textiles by Robertson in the museum’s collection. This quadruple cloth is a wearable, superbly executed, and technically sophisticated textile that augments the museum’s important collection of woven textiles.

Textile, Quadruple cloth; Italy (?); wool and silk; H x W: 180.3 x 60 cm (71 x 23 5/8 in.); Museum purchase from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund; 2009-7-2