Upstanding textile exploration
- Leonie produces artistic textile sculptures that explore weaving through form
- She is pursuing a PhD in textile design alongside her creative practice
- Digital programming and traditional weaving come together in her making process
Leonie Burkhardt is a textile artist based in Göteborg, who blends traditional weaving techniques and machinery with innovative approaches. She mainly uses linen and polyester, and her textile sculptures are characterised by vibrant colours. She conducts extensive research on colour, often sketching to explore radiance and creating palettes that help her achieve the desired vibrancy in her pieces. She achieves rich textures and explores form by integrating digital tools into her making process, primarily to programme her Jacquard loom. Leonie's work is at the intersection of textile and object. She creates pieces that are as thought-provoking as they are beautiful, which has earned her recognition in contemporary craft. She was a finalist for the German Design Award Newcomer 2024 and won the One & Twenty Design Newcomer Competition in 2023. Leonie's aims to expand her creative horizons in future projects, particularly through working with wool to develop larger-scale pieces.
Interview
- What inspires your textile designs?
- The technique and craft of weaving inspires me over and over again. The simple yet complex interlacement of yarns can lead to so many seemingly endless options. I am particularly interested in creating form in weaving and seeing the loom as a forming tool.
- How do you blend tradition with innovation?
- I mostly work on advanced Jacquard looms used in the textile industry, although I aim to artistically hack their industrial potential. This approach celebrates traditional weaving techniques while leveraging modern technology to enhance creative possibilities.
- Can you describe your creative process?
- My creative process is playful and analytical at the same time, driven by material exploration. I start by sketching with clay or coloured paper, testing colours and textures. I am intrigued by material synergies and behaviours, and let experimentation guide my designs organically.
- How do digital tools influence your art?
- Digital tools shape my art through the programming of industrial Jacquard looms, allowing precision and complexity. Yet, no matter how advanced, the essence remains the interlacement of threads, the foundation of my technique, where tradition meets technology.
Leonie Burkhardt is a rising star: she began her career in 2016 and she started teaching in 2024
Where
Leonie Burkhardt
