Aude Tahon
Textile creator
Vanves, France
Korean knots with a French twist
- Aude works with maedup, a Korean knotting technique
- Her pieces are made with core-spun yarn, which makes them voluminous
- She has exhibited her work in South Korea
Aude Tahon's textile pieces are made entirely from complex knots, using a single continuous thread. "I create knotted textile surfaces with volume. I always have to know where to start and where to end," she says. Aude was familiar with fabric early on in life, as her grandfather was a wool expert. Although she was interested by textiles, she studied anthropology and social sciences. After earning a diploma in weaving from École Duperré, Aude trained with Korean artist Kim Sang-Lan. She learned the traditional Korean knotting technique, maedup, while developing her own creative approach over the course of three years. "When I first started, I used to make a few mistakes, which were crucial for my development as an artist," she says. "For instance, I once chose to work with a 100-metre thread. It was too short for me to complete the piece I was working on, which taught me to consider the end result of my works before starting. I have never made that mistake again."
INTERVIEW
There is something redeeming about my craft. When I knot, there’s a rhythm to it, something meditative. A craftsperson has to be a very well-rounded individual, because the commercial and communication aspect of the practice are also important.
The knot originated in China, where inventing knots used to be a profession. In Korea, it has become a recognised art form, with knot masters still practising with techniques that emphasise 3D forms. In Japan, the tradition survives on a smaller scale, and resembles a folding technique. Each culture has developed its own approach to the craft.
I use very fine threads called core-spun yarn. They have a core, around which other fibres are braided.
Exceptional is something very demanding. For me, exceptional means working on a large-scale project, where I have to find new solutions to problems that could arise during the making process. It should be exceptional not only to my clients, but also to me.
