Sasha de Koninck

Zeroes and Ones: Exercises in Translation
Handwoven jacquard cotton

My work is a presentation of a multisensory experience, through the research and development of smart textile material for the body that is intimate, sensitive and loud. Clothing reveals the details and the subtleties of our personalities and life that can’t always be explained in words. As material, the textile in a garment is something that is the closest thing to our skin: our shield and security.

Smart textiles have introduced me to responsive materials that express a change of state and talk back. They allow me to use touch as a way to activate the artwork. It invites you to participate, touch and react to its response.

Research is the most important part of my practice. I explore new materials and new technologies by prototyping and experimenting. Every piece begins with an investigation with a material, technique or technological inquiry. This process leads to a series of samples and prototypes that allow me to experiment, learn and resolve challenging questions. My results often come to novel products that deviate from my initial ideas, which inform my decisions when applying the project to a larger scale. Aiming my work towards the body can be unforgiving, but the challenge is part of the discovery and innovation.

I am influenced by the work of artists, designers, and researchers in the new fields of technology, smart textiles and wearables. Because these new fields are still emerging, everything is open source. Documentation and instructions are shared freely in hopes of influencing makers and artists on all levels. I learn from others and in turn hope to share my research thoroughly.
I am a very quiet person, but I express myself very loudly through the sounds of my work in textiles and material exploration.