%C2%A9 Jack Lenor Larsen%2C Inc.%2C Larsen Design Studio
Labyrinth, 1981
Wool, cottonexpand_more
Gift of Cowtan & Tout, Inc.expand_more 99.1.413.3
Not on Viewexpand_more
Jack Larsen considers himself a weaver, and the company is known throughout the textile industry as a producer of distinctive woven fabric. Many Larsen designs celebrate the natural geometric grid formed by the warp and weft. Simple lines and squares were infused with intense colors for dramatic effect.
In the 1960s, the Irish Export Board invited Jack Larsen to develop furnishing fabrics using local production resources. After considerable experimentation with yarn and color development, weave density, and finishing processes, Larsen created a number of new designs as part of the Irish Awakening collection, including Round Tower. Larsen continued this collaboration for three decades.
Jubilee’s stripes are deceptively simple. Many were created from a variety of woven braids introduced into the warp sequence, necessitating alterations that resulted in slowing down power loom production. Beginning in the early 1950s, Dick Boland was the first power weaver to work with the Larsen company. Over the years, Boland’s engineering skills were tested again and again in order to accommodate Larsen designers’ special concepts.
The Scottish mill that wove Labyrinth was technically capable of producing the cloth but needed the Larsen team to help it achieve the fabric’s aesthetic potential. Larsen designer Mark Pollack used a warp-faced leno weave to create a number of patterns. Durable and lightweight, Labyrinth has been a favored fabric for furnishing private aircraft interiors.
Details
- Title
- Labyrinth
- Artist Life
- New York, est. 1952
- Role
- Designer
- Accession Number
- 99.1.413.3
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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© Jack Lenor Larsen, Inc., Larsen Design Studio