We see and touch textiles, but how often do we hear them? Or, perhaps more precisely, what do we not hear thanks to textiles? Acoustic textiles are often an exercise in generating absence, created when particular structures and materials are deployed to absorb, muffle or contain noise. While the impact that textiles can have on acoustics is less often recognised than that of touch and sight, it is an equally palpable attribute. In Aleksandra Gaca’s case, the attention she gives to the potential of three-dimensional weave structures explains why her portfolio deserves discussion as an acoustic, as well as an optical and tactile, achievement.

forthcoming catalogue essay