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Object Timeline

2014

  • Work on this object began.

2015

2024

  • You found it!

Textile, Millions of Colors

This is a Textile. It was designed by Grethe Sørensen and produced by Wolf-Gordon Inc.. It is dated 2014 and we acquired it in 2015. Its medium is 96% wool, 4% nylon and its technique is digital jacquard woven. It is a part of the Textiles department.

Millions of Colors, a new upholstery fabric by Danish artist Grethe Sørensen for Wolf Gordon, arose from her tapestry series of the same name. Using a basic color palette of red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black and white theads, Sørensen used a digitally controlled loom to translate the subtle modulations of color seen in a full spectrum to a woven structure. Often working in collaboration with her filmmaker husband, Bo Høvgaard, her work speaks of the fluid relationship between color and light.
In 2010, in collaboration with Snøhetta Architects, Sørensen created three tapestries for the new headquarters of Tronrud Engineering, a leader in the development of digitally controlled looms. She included one hanging from her Millions of Colors series, but for Tronrud she further developed her infinite color concept into an upholstery fabric with endlessly shifting colors, allowing each chair in the new facility to be unique and yet related.
Wolf Gordon brought this concept to the commercial market. The smooth transitions and endless variation allowed by the visual mixing of pixilated color allow for pattern with a 223-inch repeat. As a result, each piece of furniture upholstered with Millions of Colors is unique. Three colorways are offered, but custom colors can be created as well.

This object was donated by Wolf-Gordon Inc.. It is credited Gift of Wolf-Gordon Inc..

Its dimensions are

Warp x Weft: 381 × 175.3 cm (12 ft. 6 in. × 5 ft. 9 in.)

Cite this object as

Textile, Millions of Colors; Designed by Grethe Sørensen (Danish, b. 1947); Produced by Wolf-Gordon Inc. (United States); USA; 96% wool, 4% nylon; Warp x Weft: 381 × 175.3 cm (12 ft. 6 in. × 5 ft. 9 in.); Gift of Wolf-Gordon Inc.; 2015-33-2

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<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/68743351/ |title=Textile, Millions of Colors |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=25 April 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>