Pulling the wool

Wool's main function may be to keep us warm in cold weather, but it can also be used as an artistic medium in the creative industries. And with more than 60 exhibits featuring wool in fashions, artworks and interior design, Wool Modern celebrates the innovative use of this material.

"Wool is one of the oldest natural fibers with thousands of years of history, similar to silk in China," said Wool Modern curator, Charlotte Lurot. "This exhibition showcases the originality of wool and seeks to educate consumers about the diversity and environmental sustainability of the fiber." 

Rings and loops

Highlights of Wool Modern include Woolamina, a pair of purple wedge shoes by the British shoe designer Charlotte Olympia which are made with bright wool and leather; Queen's Chair, a green hand-knitted sculpture by the Danish artist Isabel Berglund, and which resembles a woman in repose; and the colorful Stitch Stools by Irish knitter Claire Anne O'Brien, in which the wool has been turned into exaggerated patterns of rings and loops.

Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers of wool yarn were used to create British designer Angela Wright's 189 Mile, a 25-meter long vertical installation that drops like a waterfall.

"I am aware of the softness of the wool, the way in which the lanolin smooths my skin, its evocative warm smell, the change of its color in different lights," wrote the London-based artist of her working process in the exhibition program.

The exhibition also includes women's ready-to-wear items by top fashion brands such as Lanvin, John Galliano and Thierry Mugler.

"We encourage audiences to look at the exhibition as a collective of designs and to stand back and appreciate these powerful designs which possess an inherent creativity," said Lurot.

The exhibition was launched in London in September 2011 and moved to Berlin and Sydney. Shanghai is the first stop in Asia. "China is a huge market for wool. It is quite natural that we chose to come to China first," added Lurot.

Benefits of wool

The exhibition is part of the Campaign for Wool to promote the benefits of wool and the use of the material in varying industries.

The show features eight commissioned works by Chinese artists: Exception, Mo Jia, Zhang Lei, Wang Zhenfei, Hou Zhengguang, Vega Wang, Xander Zhou and Zhang Chi.

Lurot said that Chinese designers have done a remarkable job in creating their exhibits. "The Chinese designers are all interested in Chinese culture but they were able to bring a modern approach to their designs," she said. For example, Beijing-based fashion designer Vega Wang has designed an urban, nomadic woolen coat called Chi Le Ge which she says "encourages young people to pursue their dreams."

After the show at Bund 18 gallery finishes, the exhibits will go on display at the Shanghai Jiuguang Department Store in Jing'an district from October 29 to November 6.