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Elastica Symbiotica: The Garden of Fiber Delights

Solo exhibition · Konstväxlingar, Odenplan, Stockholm

2023 to 2024

Documentation: Betsey Gusman, Amandah L'Narte

The glass display case on the metro platform at Odenplan, with its copper-coloured roof. Textile sculptures and threads hang inside, while Amandah leans out between the works and passengers pass on the stairs alongside.
The glass display case on the metro platform at Odenplan, with its copper-coloured roof. Textile sculptures and threads hang inside, while Amandah leans out between the works and passengers pass on the stairs alongside. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
About the exhibition

A garden of fibre delights in the metro: the textile installation Elastica Symbiotica, presented as part of Konstväxlingar at Odenplan.

It was a very special experience to build this exhibition and work inside the glass display case in the middle of the platform. The location brought me into contact with people of all ages and from all walks of life. Meeting people’s eyes, seeing children’s wonder and broad smiles, and hearing words of encouragement deepened my understanding of how important it is for art and culture to have a place in the city. During the installation, a woman approached me and said, “We really need this right now. The world needs this.”

I am glad that the exhibition fulfilled its intention: to create a place to rest amid the noise and offer visual and philosophical nourishment to everyone passing by. A vitamin boost in the form of art.

The exhibition was presented as part of Region Stockholm’s Konstväxlingar programme for art in public transport. Documentation by Betsey Gusman, Amandah L’Narte and a photographer commissioned by Region Stockholm.

A view through the glass display case, with a central fibre sculpture titled “Flora Kraft” in purple and blue above an iridescent purple floor covering. Tufted rugs surround it, and white looping forms hang overhead.
A view through the glass display case, with a central fibre sculpture titled “Flora Kraft” in purple and blue above an iridescent purple floor covering. Tufted rugs surround it, and white looping forms hang overhead. · Photograph by: Amandah L'Narte
A view from inside the installation, with suspended sculptures in brown, black and pink above iridescent floor shapes and tufted islands in red, white and purple.
A view from inside the installation, with suspended sculptures in brown, black and pink above iridescent floor shapes and tufted islands in red, white and purple. · Photograph by: Amandah L'Narte
A detail of soft, padded sculptures: a pale-blue quilted, brain-like form, folded textiles in brown and purple, and patterned fabrics in yellow and white. The rest of the installation is softly out of focus behind them.
A detail of soft, padded sculptures: a pale-blue quilted, brain-like form, folded textiles in brown and purple, and patterned fabrics in yellow and white. The rest of the installation is softly out of focus behind them. · Photograph by: Amandah L'Narte
A detail of a suspended beige knitted sculpture, with a star-shaped collar, long hanging threads and a pointed blue form at the top. The metro station is softly out of focus in the background.
A detail of a suspended beige knitted sculpture, with a star-shaped collar, long hanging threads and a pointed blue form at the top. The metro station is softly out of focus in the background. · Photograph by: Amandah L'Narte
Amandah looks out between the hanging blue and purple threads of “Flora Kraft”, lying on a tufted rug with a tangle of yellow thread in front of her.
Amandah looks out between the hanging blue and purple threads of “Flora Kraft”, lying on a tufted rug with a tangle of yellow thread in front of her. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
Amandah in pink overalls, lying on iridescent floor shapes among tufted rugs and hanging threads.
Amandah in pink overalls, lying on iridescent floor shapes among tufted rugs and hanging threads. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
Amandah crouches in a pink-and-red floral dress, drawing on the glass with a paint marker. More markers lie on the floor beside blue tufted forms, with long fringes hanging to the left.
Amandah crouches in a pink-and-red floral dress, drawing on the glass with a paint marker. More markers lie on the floor beside blue tufted forms, with long fringes hanging to the left. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
Amandah crouches inside the display case, drawing on the glass beside a hanging pale-pink sculpture, with a metro train immediately beyond the glass.
Amandah crouches inside the display case, drawing on the glass beside a hanging pale-pink sculpture, with a metro train immediately beyond the glass. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
Amandah sits by the platform-facing glass in a floral dress, holding paint markers and surrounded by hanging rounded sculptures and textiles.
Amandah sits by the platform-facing glass in a floral dress, holding paint markers and surrounded by hanging rounded sculptures and textiles. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
Amandah draws on the glass inside the display case, surrounded by hanging sculptures in pink and brown. The exhibition’s information panel is in the foreground, with passengers in the background.
Amandah draws on the glass inside the display case, surrounded by hanging sculptures in pink and brown. The exhibition’s information panel is in the foreground, with passengers in the background. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
Amandah holds a blue paint marker inside the display case, surrounded by curved blue and white forms and textile creatures in pink, orange and brown.
Amandah holds a blue paint marker inside the display case, surrounded by curved blue and white forms and textile creatures in pink, orange and brown. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
A portrait of Amandah in paint-marked pink overalls, with a small pale-pink textile sculpture resting on her head and a hanging sculpture of gathered red and pink textiles beside her.
A portrait of Amandah in paint-marked pink overalls, with a small pale-pink textile sculpture resting on her head and a hanging sculpture of gathered red and pink textiles beside her. · Photograph by: Betsey Gusman
An orange sticky note on the display-case glass with a handwritten message from a visitor: “You have an amazing ability to make others happy.” The message is written in Swedish, with a small heart below.
An orange sticky note on the display-case glass with a handwritten message from a visitor: “You have an amazing ability to make others happy.” The message is written in Swedish, with a small heart below. · Photograph by: Amandah L'Narte