Ida Isak Westerberg

Weaver

©Ida Isak Westerberg

A softer world

Ida Isak moved back to Norrbotten in 2018
Their first textile project was a utopian baseball cap
Ida Isak’s textile works are made to last

The whole story begins with Ida Isak Westerberg working as a pre-school teacher. “I was quite tired from working all the time and wanted a year for myself pursuing what I really wanted. Back then I was embroidering a lot during my spare time, so I decided to study textile crafts for a year. I applied and got accepted at the school Handarbetets vänner, Friends of handicraft, even though they told me there was a lot more weaving than embroidery. And suddenly, the loom won both my heart and enthusiasm”. Nowadays, Ida Isak work with very traditional Swedish weaving techniques with a contemporary twist, and is especially fond of ‘rya’, where both wefts and knots are used while weaving, in order to produce hairy wool rugs. “I don't want my work to reflect history” Ida Isak says, “I want it to be contemporary with a hint of heritage".

Interview

©Ida Isak Westerberg

©Ida Isak Westerberg

Has texiles always been a part of your life?: My grandmother used to knit clothes for my toys while my mother sewed clothes and dance costumes for my shows. As a teenager, I designed and sewed my own clothes. So yes, textiles has always been part of my everyday life. Later on, it was embroidery that stole my heart, followed by weaving.
Where do you find your motivation?: The queer community and Norrbotten’s nature are the two things that give me strength, purpose, meaning in life – I would say. Everything and everyone have the right to be whoever they are and to love whoever they love.
How is your work sustainable?: For me, ‘well made’ means something that is intended to last and is easy to mend, in case it is damaged or worn. It is also about having a profound knowledge of the whole process and a production that is low impact on the ecosystem.
What do you find fascinating about weaving textiles?: I love the fact that, when you start working, it is almost impossible to predict how the finished product will look like. There are so many different steps involved within weaving that even a small detail can make the difference, strongly impacting the result.

Ida Isak Westerberg are rising stars: they began their career in 2018 and they started teaching in 2017