Jaya Griscom

Studio U4B

Medium: Textile

Textiles invite touch. Fibers hold a unique relationship with the body, as they clothe and comfort us. My work is an aesthetic celebration of this relationship, deeply inspired by how enjoyable textiles feel.

I learned to weave as a young child, which launched a life-long fabric obsession that I’ve nurtured throughout my traditional fine art education and career. As a Silicon Valley resident, I live surrounded by modern computers born from binary code that weavers developed. Threading warp strings through my heddles, I literally stay in touch with the digital DNA powering all innovative tech gadgetry. Marrying modern devices with my ancient craft of weaving, I embrace contemporary technology to better understand people. Through 3D scans of bodies, I capture the contours of the figure. That data allows me to scientifically draft the human form cartographically. I navigate the figure. I chart the physical body in fabric.

My recent work combines prints, repurposed clothes, and 3D contours into large-scale textile artwork. I develop an intimate tactile rapport with my materials and the sense of touch motivates my practice alongside aesthetics. Cloth is soft, warm, and permeable. I relish those physical sensations as I map out the topography of my fabrics’ pasts and the people that shape them.

Artist Website