Weaving Fabrics for Suits

When a weaving mill closes down operations, machinery and equipment are left standing. They might be disposed of, or become part of a museum collection. What kind of value do these items have? What about the knowledge that gets lost when companies go out of business? What value does it have?

For Franz Petter Schmidt, a research fellow at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts, the history of the Norwegian textile industry is fundamental for his work. During the fifteen years that have passed since he was a student in the Arts and Crafts department at the same school, he has, among other things, worked for several years at the Sjølingstad Woollen Mill, near Mandal in the south of Norway. This mill now operates as a museum. The history and the production of this specific mill have served as background for several of his exhibition projects.

The exhibition Weaving Fabrics for Suits at Oslo Kunstforening marks the closure of Schmidt's work as a research fellow. In the exhibition Schmidt has brought out various objects and stories from weaving mills, some that are closed down and others that are still in business, in order to focus on our valuation of both material and immaterial cultural heritage. It also includes suits sewn by tailors and designers, made of fabrics Schmidt has produced in the weaving mills with which he has collaborated.

By working with the staff at weaving mills and with fashion designers, Schmidt’s work represents a living past heading towards a future where more and more countries experiencing outsourcing are trying to build a bridge between knowledge acquired through generations and a future with greater awareness of quality and origins.

A conversation between Jorunn Veiteberg and Franz Petter Schmidt will be held Thusday, April 14 at 7 pm.

A catalogue will be published for the exhibition at Oslo Kunstforening with contributions by Jennifer Allen and Theodor Barth.

Schmidt has been a research fellow at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO) and the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme since October 2011. This exhibition is part of the research project and includes installations consisting of textiles, garments, archive materials, photographs and texts.

Beginning January 2015 he will revive activity and production at Prinds Christian August Minde, a closed-down and protected industrial weaving mill in the centre of Oslo.

The exhibition is supported by the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme and The Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO).