Exhibition BOOSTING WOOL

BOOSTING WOOL
Applied research of Estonian wool at Pallas UAS Department of Textile
25.11 – 18.12.2021

Products created with a sustainable and environmentally aware perspective, help to define the world around us and encourage us to use local raw materials in creating innovative design solutions. Textile students transport traditions into the future!

The exhibition BOOSTING WOOL summarizes the results of the applied research of Pallas UAS Department of Textile. Since 2017, the department has researched the possibilities of using Estonian wool for creating design products and has developed a solid network of partners of sheep farmers and wool mills. The spokesperson in the department for said research has been Liina Kool, through several years and different courses other lecturers and students of the department have been included in the project. Muru, Vaemla, Äksi and Tartu University Viljandi Culture Academy wool mills and several sheep farmers have become steady cooperation partners. The initial cautious interest in using local wool has become a conscious trend in Pallas UAS Department of Textile.

One branch of research focuses on using yarns of different qualities and characteristics for creating knitted products. First project in this direction was Siiri Nool’s final project in 2019 where she explored the possibilities of processing local wool in Estonian wool factories and using that yarn for creating a knitted product. In machine knitting courses, students have focused on using local wool to showcase the charm and nuances of this material. Ideas initiated in these courses have grown into larger collections that have been presented at Estonian Fashion Festival shows Mood-Performance-Tants and OmaMood. In 2020, the textile students Liisi Tamm, Marge Allik and Anett Niine presented the joint collection KARgE, this year Marge Allik introduced the collection Ehme and Lisette Laanoja showed her collection HINGA (breathe). For three years, the Department of Textile in cooperation with Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union has held a product development competition for students to find new ways of using local wool. The winning products are on sale at the KAARMANN Handicraft shop in Tallinn.

In 2021, during the fabric manipulation techniques course supervised by visiting lecturer Piret Valk the first-year textile students explored the possibilities of finishing methods of woollen fabrics. This research will continue in spring 2022. Using shibori techniques and fulling, the students achieved voluminous structures, that exhibit the diversity of local woollen yarn and are a source of inspiration for designing products. Students have also tried using fulled knitted textile for constructing interior design elements. In 2019, a room divider prototype LUIK (swan)a, made in cooperation of textile and furniture design students, was presented at the Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair.

Also exhibited is RÜÜRUUM (sartorial space), a cooperation project between b210 architects and textile students Anett Niine and Liisi Tamm. The project is inspired by the concept of Estonian Museum of Architecture’s exhibition “The Houses That We Need”. RÜÜRUUM is a forward-facing symbiosis of clothing and living space, that is made of natural hand-made felt.
The applied research and the exhibition are supervised by Liina Kool and professor Aet Ollisaar.

Authors of exhibited works: Marge Allik, Maarja Kaasik, Teele Kumm, Lisette Laanoja, Arabella Lippur, Anett Niine, Siiri Nool, Siret Ott, Kairi Palm, Liisi Tamm, Andrea-Martha Teesaar, Maria Volk. Fabric samples were made by Liisa Hanvere, Karl Olaf Kolla, Ülle Järv, Merili Senka, Kaia Zupping, Caroliina Ladva, Eliise Järve, Renate Eensalu, Kirke Kirikall, Renate Eensalu, Grete Maruste.
Students works have been supervised by Kairi Lentsius, Maarja Tamjärv, Kristina Paju, Liina Kool, Aet Ollisaar, Keret Altpere, Madis Liplap and Jaak Roosi.
Special thanks to: MTÜ MuhuMaaLammas, Muru wool mill, Vaemla wool mill, Äksi wool mill, UT Viljandi Culture Academy Vilma wool factory, Estonian Museum of Architecture, b210 Architects, cooperation partners and experts.

Curators: Liina Kool, Aet Ollisaar, Andrea-Martha Teesaar, Arabella Lippur

Technical assistant: Marju Roos

NB! All visitors over the age of 18 must present proof of vaccination against COVID-19, or of recent recovery from it, that is not older than 6 months. Masks are mandatory!

Additional information:
Professor Aet Ollisaar
Head of Department, Pallas UAS Department of Textile
aet.ollisaar@pallasart.ee
+372 506 7281
@tekstiilpallas

Gallery Pallas
Tue-Sat 11-18, Riia 11, Tartu
galerii@pallasart.ee
+372 734 9954
facebook.com/GaleriiPallas

Cover photo: Collection  HINGA 2021 by Lisette Laanoja; Photo Lisette Laanoja