Kiki van Eijk is a designer known for her whimsical and poetic approach to design. Her latest body of work, titled “Structuring Chaos,” explores the theme of order and chaos, and the tension between the two.
The collection is a series of wall hanging, produced in collaboration with the Textile Lab of TextielMuseum (Tilburg NL) which van Eijk describes as “an attempt to capture chaos and bring it into a structured form.”
The piece is composed of what at first instance look like threads of confusing appearance, they swirl and dance in unpredictable ways. Slowly order is created by introducing an anchoring force: Raku ceramic elements holding sailing knots and giving support and structure to the countless threads.
Just as a sailor uses knots to secure their boat to a dock or anchor in rough waters, Kiki van Eijk uses the concept of knots to represent the act of anchoring ourselves in life, to help us stay centered and grounded amidst the chaos of a confusing world.
The ceramic elements helping to give order are made by Kiki van Eijk with Raku, a traditional Japanese firing technique, used to make unique and irregular shaped pieces. Raku ware is traditionally made by hand and fired at a low temperature, resulting in a distinctive crackled glaze.
She developed the robes consisting in a mix of different color yarns using a handmade process that is as time consuming as meditative.
The colorful ropes (passementerie) are conductors of harmony, emerging from the above friction. Overall, “Structuring Chaos” is a thought-provoking and visually striking collection that speaks to the human desire for control and order in an unpredictable world.