In the bustling city of Budapest, amidst the chaos of modern life, Hungarian textile artist Kinga Földi finds solace and inspiration in the serenity of nature. Formerly a costume designer, Kinga Földi transitioned into becoming a full-time artist, crafting beautiful silk sculptures that are a tribute to the wonders of the natural world. In this interview, she shares her journey, techniques, and passion for creating soul-resting objects.
Kinga’s Background in Textiles:
After graduating from Moholy Nagy University of Art and Design as a woven textile designer in 2006, Kinga’s love for crafts drew her towards exploring the realm of textile art. This art form transcends mere functionality, allowing artists to express thoughts and emotions through various techniques and fabrics. Along her creative path, Kinga Földi delved into bobbin lace making, origami, and other surface-manipulating techniques, ultimately paving the way for her remarkable silk sculptures.
Describing Her Work:
Kinga’s sculptures come to life in the form of delicate floral and animal shapes, emanating a sense of tranquility and wonder. Nature serves as her ultimate muse, as she immerses herself in its beauty and miracles, channeling the shapes, scents, and colors into her art. For years, she worked as a costume designer for theaters and choreographers, where she found joy but yearned to express more profound thoughts and emotions. Thus, her journey of self-discovery led her to explore free-standing sculptures, where she found her true reflection in her works.
The Techniques:
The technique that Kinga employs is known as pin-tuck. Traditionally used to decorate blouses, she discovered its potential to create three-dimensional objects. By folding and sewing the fabric meticulously, a rhythmic striped surface emerges, which can be molded into intricate petals and leaves, forming the basis for her sculptures.
Choice of Materials:
Kinga’s favorite fabric is silk, especially the textured and lustrous Silk Dupioni, which she discovered during her studies and instantly fell in love with. The fabric’s distinct qualities, with its rustic appearance and tactile touch, perfectly complement her artistic vision.
The Process of Creation:
Drawing plays a vital role in the initial stages of Kinga’s creative process, allowing her thoughts to take shape. However, it is in the interaction with the fabric that her sculptures truly come alive. Guided by the fabric’s responsiveness, she lets her instincts and the material’s nature lead her to the final form. Her process involves three major phases: preparing the fabric, creating the shape, and fixing it using a special textile glue.
Time and Career Highlights:
Working on multiple pieces simultaneously, Kinga invests about one to two months to complete one sculpture. Her career highlights include exhibiting at the 11th Lace Biennial in Brussels and receiving the esteemed ‘Textile Artist of the Year 2015’ prize from the Cultural Found for Textile art. Notably, her most significant commission involved creating a magnificent 6-meter-tall origami Christmas tree for the Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge.
Advice for Aspiring Textile Artists:
Kinga encourages aspiring artists to find their unique paths, urging them to be patient and trust their instincts and feelings throughout their artistic journey.
Exciting Plans Ahead:
Looking forward, Kinga is working on a new technique to create more ethereal objects, and she invites everyone to witness her first experiments on her Instagram page. Moreover, she plans to participate in various international and Hungary-based exhibitions, with her next event set to take place in Eger, Hungary.
A Soul-Resting Vision:
In an accelerated world filled with overstimulation, Kinga’s sculptures offer a moment of tranquility and contemplation. With the luxury of observing one object slowly, she hopes her creations can serve as soul-resting objects, providing a much-needed respite in our fast-paced lives.