On Saori Weaving with library@orchard’s Resident, Natalia Tan
library@orchard was home to the studio of textile and community artist, Natalia Tan, from August 2022 to January 2023 as part of its artist-in-residence programme. An advocate of creative reuse and repurposing, Natalia practices Saori weaving—a form of free-weaving that originated from Japan—to co-create with audiences using salvaged materials.
In her final month of residency, we speak to her about her creative philosophy and her collaborative artmaking practice.
Hi Natalia, tell us a bit about yourself! How did you get started with weaving?
I have my friend Michelle to thank for being one of my greatest inspirations and earliest supporters. Back in 2014, she suggested a trip to the Setouchi art islands in Japan as well as to try a three-day weaving workshop in a rural village two hours south of Osaka.
What started out as a vacation turned out to be a life-changing experience. I found myself thinking about weaving months after that trip. And here I am today, having gone there and back multiple times, ready to share what I’ve learnt and experienced. Weaving is not an innate talent of any sort — it’s a skill that can be practiced and enjoyed by anyone.
How different is Saori weaving from weaving as people usually understand it?
Weaving is an ancient technique of interlocking vertical and horizontal threads to create fabrics. Most of us are in close contact with woven cloth every day as it is the dominant method of textile production.
Saori weaving is a style of free-weaving that is often characterised by individual expression and spontaneity. The name comprises two words: Sa is a Zen Buddhist term that means “each thing or person has their own unique quality”, and ori means “weaving”.
Practitioners consider Saori to be more than just a weaving technique. It is:
- A philosophy that all people are artists, and that each of us has latent creativity that Saori weaving can awaken
- An aesthetic that embraces the natural beauty of unintended “mistakes” and encourages exploring the unknown
- A social movement aimed at bringing diverse people together to learn from one another, with a special focus on building communities who may be marginalised because of age, disability, income, race, or any other life circumstance
- An artistic yet practical approach to meditation, therapy, identity-building, community-building, economic self-reliance, and holistic human development
What materials do you need to get started in Saori weaving?
All that’s needed is some yarn, a loom, and the willingness to explore freely. It’s really simple to weave once a warp (the vertical threads that go along the length of a loom) has been set up on the loom. This part is usually taken care of in most beginner workshops hosted at weaving studios.
Why the focus on using salvaged textiles?
I like reclaiming what people might deem as “worthless trash” and making beautiful things with them. It takes time and effort to turn textile waste into yarn, but I find it a worthwhile and meditative endeavour.
There have been other unexpected bonuses: the community support, for one. Many people have shared stories of their own repurposing projects and have responded to my work by offering me their unwanted textiles instead of sending them to the landfill.
Singaporeans are no strangers to the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and most know how to send off paper, plastic, glass, and metal in responsible ways. However, we still have a big problem when it comes to textile waste.
According to NEA’s most recent waste report, 189,000 tonnes of textile/leather waste was generated by Singaporeans in 2021 alone, and only 4% of it was recycled. Over the course of my weaving and community art journey, I’ve discovered that many people just don’t know what to do with their old clothes apart from throwing it away. As such, a lot of my work involves showing people the amazing things we can do when we simply commit to making the best of what we already have.
We usually picture an artist working away at a loom by himself or herself, but you’ve managed to turn it into a craft that a whole community of people can contribute to. Why have you chosen this collaborative approach to weaving?
There’s a Swedish proverb that explains why I share the craft of weaving so freely by inviting people to weave community tapestries: “Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow.”
There’s nothing like seeing someone’s face light up when trying something fun for the first time, with no expectations around an outcome. What’s even better is seeing people of all ages and from all walks of life come together to make something for no obvious private gain.
Participants who contribute to community tapestries know that they will not get to take home what they have woven with their time and energy. All they get to keep are their memories of the weaving, the conversations with people, and the meaning they’ve made of the experience.
Regardless of the reason, they’ve all made that singular choice to sit down and weave. This common thread unites them across time, space, and consciousness. To me, that’s magical.
Do you have a favourite woven piece that you’ve created?
All my pieces and projects have such unique stories; from inspiration to the creation process to the moment they reach their intended destination. While I can’t say I have a favourite piece now, I’m very fond of what I’ve made and always happy to share stories with anyone who asks!
Any advice for people who want to express their creativity in a sustainable way?
Look around you and recognise that everything you need is already within reach. Reimagine what’s available. Make the best of what you already have. Don’t be afraid to mess it all up. Have fun!
What’s next for you after this residency?
I facilitated five community weaving sessions during the residency where members of the public made postcard-sized tapestries based on a monthly theme. I’m looking forward to showcasing these community-made works in a showcase at library@orchard this March.
I’ll also be sharing more about my work and the residency as one of the four speakers participating in library@orchard’s Pro Series: Textile talks happening from January to March.
There are other exciting things lined up that I’m unfortunately not able to share more about at the moment. Keep your eyes peeled and follow me on Instagram for updates! 😊
Keep an eye out for Natalia’s post-residency exhibition at library@orchard’s Trend Gallery in March 2023.
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