Fabric Museum: TextLoom
TextLoom is an interactive installation held at Fabric Museum, an immersive experience that draws inspiration from the revolutionary Jacquard Loom. Connecting traditional weaving techniques with computer programming, the installation allows users to generate text through the process of weaving.
Agency
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao, Personal Project
Practice Area
Client
ArtCenter College of Design
Industry
The Challenge
The main challenges of this project included programming a sound-reactive typewriter based on a custom typeface I designed for the museum, creating a generative visual that aligns with the museum’s refreshed identity, and constructing a large-scale installation. This required extensive coding skills, strong conceptual thinking, meticulous execution, and unwavering dedication.
Project Vision
Fabric Museum stands at the intersection of contemporary art and innovative material exploration, specializing in collaborations with artists who employ textiles and unconventional materials. This project bridges the tangible with the digital to mirror the museum’s journey. TEXT comes from textile, the installation fosters a hands-on experience with the weaving process and deepens audience engagement.
Typewriter Mode
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Exhibition Mode
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Design + Execution
The core of TextLoom is a generative typography system, A sound-reactive typewriter and pattern-making tool developed by Processing, where letters are transformed uniquely based on diverse sound frequencies, ensuring no two visual outputs are ever the same. A custom typeface was developed to bridge traditional weaving methods with modern technologies.
The tabletop tray is designed to resemble a traditional weaving shuttle, integral to carrying threads across a loom. Linked with Arduino code, users must emulate the shuttle’s action to transmit messages. By embodying the evolution of programming from the Jacquard Loom to contemporary computing, the experience makes the connection between time-honored craft and cutting-edge technology.
Tabletop Overview
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Projection Mapping
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Custom Typeface
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Arduino Set
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Project Details
This student was able to blend historical narrative with modern technology in a way that was cost resilient and successful. The tactile aspects of the experience add additional components to an already well-done project.
A striking installation that successfully celebrates old and new technology at the same time. The Jacquard Loom is referenced beautifully, in the way that the fabric drapes and the user must mimic the traditional back-and-forth movement of a mechanical loom. Understanding that the word “TEXT” comes from “TEXTILE” delivers an additional “ah ha!” moment.
Design Team
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao (designer)
Brad Bartlett (instructor)
Ivan Cruz (instructor)
Miles Mazzie (instructor)
Photo Credits
Jocelyn (Ziying) Zhao
Open Date
April 2023