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Renata Rozsivalová
 
Please, wait for the image to be loaded! Work of Renata Rozsivalová
26. Renata Rozsivalová Czech Republic

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For almost forty years now, the focus of my creative work has been artistic woven tapestry, which first captivated me during my university days in the early 1970s. This type of artistic expression, this particular language, attracted me strongly and quickly became the medium which most resonated with my personality and disposition; today it still remains the centre of my artistic life.

      The 1960s and 1970s were a time of searching for new paths and innovations. One exciting development was the move away from that instance of the division of labour whereby an artist designed a tapestry but then handed it to a weaver to create the final artwork. By contrast, the artist’s own concentrated work on the loom created an essential, individual process and a personal form of expression. This was the time of prestigious tapestry biennales in Lausanne, a time of a renaissance in the field that had a very strong influence on me. Already it was the credo of my mentor at the Academy that tapestry is not merely designed but woven as well. Rather than just reproducing painting, the process of weaving is an essential step in tapestry creation. That is why I don’t use a conventional loom, but instead choose to work with very basic equipment. The entire width of the warp is straightened out in front of a wall, and the completed part of the tapestry is not rolled on a cylinder, but stays visible on the loom during the entire process. Scaffolding enables me to work on the sections high above the ground.

      For the Web of Europe project, I chose a section of the Brussels tapestry Mercury Hands over the Infant Bacchus to the Nymphs that depicts a classic still-life scene of fruit and flowers. I re-tell the scene in my own weaving language to create a ‘manuscript of weaving’ that reflects my own style, especially through my use of loops and the choice of a lower density of warp.