Photography Erik Lefvander for The New Era Magazine, issue 2, 2021

Installation made exclusively for The New Era at Stockholm Art Museum Liljevalchs

Interview The New Era Magazine 2021

Words: Micha van Dinther

A SCULPTURAL DANCE

Self-taught Stockholm-based textile artist and fashion designer Diana Orving has never been one to follow the crows. In a photographic exhibition staged exclusively for The New Era at Liljevalchs art gallery, Orving shares some of her most recent sculptural works. Here, she explains what her art pieces are about, how becoming a mother during the pandemic has effected her creative output and why she has decided to take a break from fashion.

Since the launch of her eponymous brand in 2007, textile artist and fashion designer Diana Orving has continuously been a much-needed counterpart to Sweden’s burgeoning, fast-paced fashion industry. In a world where trends rule and money talks, Orving has carved out her own path, her own expression and her own values. ”I have never felt at ease in the fashion industry,” says Orving. ”The world of fashion follows a set of values that have never been mine. More stockists, higher turnovers, better margins and quicker productions speak very little of fashion’s real meaning. For me, the industry’s fixation on measurability is spiritually draining.”

Instead, Orving’s work has always been guided by curiosity, intuition and the creative process. Having grown up in a creative household surrounded by her artist mother’s fabrics, sewing machines and looms, Orving trained in ballet, which she pursued throughout her childhood and early teens. An issue with her knees forced her to give up dancing, focusing her attention on designing her own clothes instead. ”I started selling my own brand of clothes at the age of fifteen,” recounts Orving. Eager to explore this newfound passion, the self-taught Orving, fresh out of high school, started hitting up fashion boutiques in Stockholm, presenting her pieces straight out of the bag she carried them around in. Her persistence paid off – in 2017, Orving was awarded the title ’Designer of the Year’ by Swedish Elle.

Alongside the women’s wear collections, known for their intricate silhouettes, exquisite draping and the way the garments display an inherent movement, Orving has always made it a priority to set aside time to explore her craft in a more uncompromised way. This decade long experimental pursuit has grown in magnitude and importance and has resulted in a varied number of sculptural art pieces, installations and costumes. Her work has appeared on stage at the Royal Swedish Opera, in some of Sweden’s most acclaimed galleries and – most recently – as part of the striking interior of highly anticipated Stockholm restaurant Aira. 

What made you test the waters using textile in projects other than fashion?

”It has been over ten years since I started my experimental work in creating sculptures and art installations using textile. It was something I had considered ever since starting a career in fashion. I view pattern construction as a form of mobile or fluid architecture, volumes in constant change and a space for the body if you will. The sculptural works are to an even greater extent than clothing items ever-fluctuating volumes and three-dimensional abstracts that occupy a space.”

How has your work with art and fashion impacted one another?

”I am a self-taught designer by trade and my career has evolved from a personal interest in artful expressions where I employ fabrics to form sculptural conceptions. Early on, I was triggered and inspired by exploring the formulas behind a beautiful line, and the dynamics in how angles and curves interact to form a three-dimensional ’envelope’ for the body. 20 years on, with tens of thousands of hours of work experience, I use that knowledge when creating art. As time has passed, I have felt an increasing desire to express my work in a less constrained way.”

How has your life as a new mother in the pandemic affected your work?

”Giving birth in the midst of a pandemic has been an unusual experience, as is giving birth in any circumstance. Apart from the obvious such as not being able to see friends and family at random, it has been lovely to be completely engulfed in motherhood and being close to my baby without any distractions. It has brought a sense of higher sensitivity on all levels. More play but also more gravity. Becoming a mother in the pandemic has also allowed me to really think hard about what my next steps will be career-wise, and also how I want to feel when I work. The fashion industry is fast-paced and does not really allow for reflection or in-depth analysis. I want to be curious, dedicated and engulfed by what I create.”

Tell us about what your creative process entails all the way from initial idea to final result.

”My large textile sculptures are all intrinsically fluid and bear stamps of mobility and movement. I view them as choreography where I have set the terms and limitations of shape, movement and dynamics. The choreography may mould a sensation, a relation, a longing or a conflict. It becomes a mean to immerse myself in something that I don’t know how to express in any other way. Working with my hands being in close contact with the material at hand is a kind of meditation to me. A repetitive ritual in assembling unique pieces bit by bit. The tactility sharpens my senses and keeps me present. My creative process is heavily influenced by improvisation and intuition - a kind of choreography onto itself. I start small, assemble, cut the next piece of the puzzle, sew, wander astray, resist and yield. Discover a new shape that guides me on the way forward. The sculpture grows bit by bit in a chain reaction.”

What is a typical day in your studio like?

”My atelier is housed in an old back building in the Södermalm neighbourhood of Stockholm. As a morning person, I tend to get there before 8.00. I start off my day by writing and sketching – it is a mixture of personal journaling and work. I use pen and paper because I’m not that fond of my computer and only use it when it is absolutely necessary. In my space, I have attached strips of fabric from the ceiling onto which I pin the sculptures I am currently working on. Since I often work on several pieces at the same time, I alternate using the sewing machine, mounting fabrics and adding another layer to the textile painting sitting on the easel. Until last year, I worked with both the textile art and the fashion collections simultaneously, but as of 2021, I’ve decided to take a break from clothing for an indefinite period of time.”

Why is that?

”Splitting my time between fashion and art is difficult, and this decision has emerged over time. It is in the creating of sculptural art that I feel most delight. I am curious to see how freeing up more time for this area will push my artistry even further.”

What is it about textiles that fascinates you the most?

”I am quite obsessed with the textile and sensual qualities of fabric – I love how the material is alive and variable, and how it offers such a great richness in nuances. How it can be heavy and compact like boiled wool, or vulnerable and delicate like silk chiffon. Roaming through my material archives, I can find my way to the desired fabric with my eyes closed.”

What are you currently working on?

”Last year, I mainly focused on the sculptural art drapes featured in the dining room at the newly opened restaurant Aira in Stockholm. It was wonderful and instructive to be able to work on such a large-scale site-specific piece, and I hope I’ll get the chance to do something similar again. I am currently working on two exhibitions which are set to open in the late spring of 2021. I will be showcasing a new collection of wall-hung pieces at Nordiska Galleriet Art in Stockholm, followed by a solo art show featuring textile sculptures at Varbergs Konsthall.”