Pliable Logic as a Practice-Led Research Methodology for Textile Practice

Abstract

In this paper, the researcher would like to propose a novel research methodology based on pleating action and how pleats are formulated, herein named “pliable logic.” It provides a recursive and malleable production and thinking route that encourages researchers to seek meanings in between different phases of textile thinking and research.

Through years of teaching, researching and making pleats, the researcher as a maker has come to an understanding that pleating, like other textile productions, for example, stitching and weaving, has its own philosophical stance as a distinct branch under textile thinking.

Pliable logic merges three textile-thinking-related concepts, including “soft logic” from Pennia Barnett, Sarat Maharaj’s description of Janis Jefferies’ “creative production” and “plica ex plica” from Gilles Deleuze, all of which resonate to certain characters of pleats and pleating that establish the foundation of the methodology. The details of each element are illustrated in this paper.

The intention of the paper is to (1) encourage textile design practitioners and researchers to consider their study and production from another perspective under textile thinking and to (2) emphasize that various textile fabrications do have a potential philosophical stance to broaden the scope of textile thinking.

Keywords:

• pleats
• pleating
• pliable logic
• textile thinking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Rome. Le Livre des Fondations. French in 1983, English in 1991 and 2015.

2 The original Swedish text appeared in the exhibition catalogue Ode to a Dishrag, Hymn to a Tiger–Norwegian Textile Artists 1977–2017. English translated by Arlyne Moi and published on the gallery website kunsthallstavanger.no /en/news/towards-a-soft-logic. Accessed 4 April 2018.

3 April 26th, 2016. Caressing Cloth: The Warp and Weft as Site of Exchange from The Erotic Cloth.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tsai-Chun Huang

Dr Tsai-Chun Huang is a Research Assistant Professor of Design, School of Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He completed his academic training in Fashion Design at National Taiwan University, Shih-Chien University and acquired his PhD from Royal College of Art, UK. His design research concentrates on the relationship between materials and the body. He often departs from the history of pleating techniques and their innovations for the potential for new ways of dressing. His work has been shown through guest lecturing, workshops, and art festivals through global organizations, including Fashion Institute of Technology, PARSONS, and New York University, in the US, Royal College of Art (RCA), Instituto Marangoni in the UK, Hull UK City of Culture, and the Prague Quadrennial. In future design thinking, he also challenges the field to critically think about the effective use of modern day technology (e.g., smart textiles) for the overall well-being of our body, mind, and new lifestyles. [email protected]