Oorskot - What Remains?

(back view) Surah Al-fatiha II

Here is the back view of the work. It's as beautiful as the front view and ideally Igshaan would like both sides of the work to be shown.

Similarly, Igshaan appreciates that the white rope he used in the weaving is, in fact, not all white. It had been dirtied during its making and indeed had been consigned to the manufacturer's "seconds bin" (keep in mind such rope is used for industrial processes). It was the variations of white and grey that first attracted Igshaan, a happy accident. It is this quiet variation that gives this mat a feeling of introspection.

Negating one value to reveal another

As Igshaan explained in the video, the black material is a soft elastic used in shoe making (to give a shoe some stretch). He stitched a stiff wire around the elastic's edge, thus negating its primary value but replacing it with another value.

Oorksot / Human Remains

The thinking and making during the residency helped inform Igshaan's works for his solo exhibition at his gallery a few months later.

The show’s title is Oorksot (which we also reference in our title). Oorksot
is in Afrikaans, a South African language, and has 2 translations. One is human remains. The other is remnants. In either case it means what we created and have left behind.

Too often words like "off-cuts" and "remains" have a negative connotation. In the case of textile off-cuts, it fills landfills. But does it have to be this way?

Stoflike Oorskot

Stoflike Oorskot was made in collaboration with artist Kyle Morland. The work is also exhibited as part of the exhibition Women’s Work at Iziko South African National Gallery, as part of Women's Work, a group show, December 2016 to June 2017.

one-of-a-kind Jewelry

Nicola West, fashion designer, turns the industrial plastic off-cuts, together with other objects, into desirable jewelry.

plastic construction block toy

Oliver Bonstein, Nicola West and Kevin Fellingham suggests using the industrial plastic offcuts to make a set of construction bricks for a children's toy.

like lego but more

Here is Oliver Bonstein's take on that Construction Toy idea. It's like lego but requires using nuts and bolts to connect and, better still, it comes with no "make this" instructions! Using imagination to help build imagination.

using waste to reduce waste

In the building industry, working with concrete is costly money and environmental-wise. One reason is the need for formwork and reinforcing - the form work, typically wood panels, cannot be re-used. Architect Mike Louw wonders might the geo-textiles serve as concrete formwork and reinforcing?

Here is the prototype of Mike Louw's "Batcave".

a fun bag

The indestructibility of the onion bag can make a sturdy lining for an otherwise delicate lady's bag - not to mention it adds an interesting decorative texture. Bag prototype by Lindiwe van Staden.

using waste to grow

The mesh quality, as well its durability, makes the onion bag a fine medium to grow sea food such as mussels. At the workshop Gien Varney-Wong prototypes a system. He plans to approach fishermen in the picturesque village of Kalk Bay. We wish him every success.

Find out more about our textile off-cuts iteration via this outcomes book. Click to view or download from our website

Don't forget to send us your ideas for the off-cuts Facebook: SocialFabricSA

Social Fabric is a not-for-profit project. Our thanks to the DOEN Foundation and the University of Cape Town, Architecture & Built Environment, this iteration's tertiary partner.

Contact us at: SocialFabricSA@gmail.com