Ryth Kesselring

My multidisciplinary research is focused on textiles and the work-rhythms of their craftsmanship. How can the choreography and the rhythmic sounds of needlework influence our understanding of textiles? My work with sonic traces aims to challenge the material approach of fibre arts and unravels a different approach to textile history. Through newer technologies, I include sonic elements in my textile installations to reflect back different aspects of textile labour as deconstructed rhythms. These interactive sound textiles influence how the viewer moves in response to the work, stepping back and forth to activate sonic narration. The core aspect of my research is the relationship between the performative aspect of textile work and the rhythms of making, by including the viewer and the textile object itself in an interactive dialogue. My recent work pursues reflections on textile labour by including the awareness of their historical, political and ecological issues.

Born in Switzerland, Ryth Kesselring moved to Québec in her childhood. She holds a bachelor’s degree with Great Distinction in Fine Arts from Concordia University. She is a member of the Textile and Materiality Research Cluster and was part of studio subTela as a research assistant where she worked on electronics and embroideries for smart textiles. Currently, Kesselring is a Mitacs research intern elaborating cloth facemasks. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally and she is a recipient of several research grants and awards. She is also active as an educator, offering studio art workshops and e-textile master classes.

Image: Ecosystem I (detail), 2021. Linen and Silver threads, electronic components, magnet, plexiglas, soil and flax plants.