< Back to all entries & Profiles
User Martyna profile image

Martyna Bogaczyk

National College of Art and Design

Textile Design BA / BFA

I am a recent graduate in Textiles and Surface Design from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland, where I earned First Class Honours with a specialisation in woven textiles. My passion lies in the craftsmanship of weaving and material culture. My work is deeply rooted in the slow, ritualistic processes passed down through generations and the celebration of natural materials used for centuries. I strive to reimagine and encapsulate the essence of folklore design, blurring the lines between functional design, craft, and art. My commitment is to create pieces that are more than just products; I aim to produce works that embody a journey of experimentation, research, and play.

Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
Lightbox zoom button
← →
x

Ritual

Category: Interior

Competitions: Home Competition [Now Closed]

The inspiration behind the project Ritual are the aesthetic and conceptual parallels in traditional designs from diverse cultures worldwide focusing on similarities in material culture. Researching rituals and festivals that possess a universal design language I wanted to reimagine and at the same time encapsulates the essence of folklore design. Looking at design through the prism of craftsmanship and ritual, taking inspiration from ancient techniques used in textile making for thousands of years. This design blurs the lines between craft, art, and design, offering versatile functionality as a room divider, screen, window treatment, or wall hanging art piece. It is made with a careful selection of natural materials. The base cloth is woven with organic linen yarn and nettle, and all motifs are hand-knotted using local Irish wool, local Irish flax, and ramie fibre. The colour palette is inspired by the vibrant colours found in traditional folklore designs globally. My goal was to capture bold, lively colours through natural dyeing techniques. Choosing to exclusively use natural dyes was important in shaping the vision for this project. It was a deliberate decision, aligning with my commitment to using only natural materials and working with traditional techniques. I aimed to create vivid, bright colours but still with a sense of natural authenticity. I chose shades of blue, red, and green because these colours frequently appeared in the folklore imagery I was researching. It was important to me not to compromise on vibrant colours, so I developed various recipes and explored multiple methods of natural dyeing to achieve the desired results. I primarily worked with indigo, madder, and weld, using natural mordants and modifiers such as acetic acid, vinegar, and baking soda. This project focuses on slow hand making techniques, however, I believe this ethos can be scaled up to a larger production, and I hope this mindset will continue to grow within the textile industry. In this design every naturally dyed colour, every warp and weft thread, every knot and hand stitch, every piece of hand-spun bouclé and brushed flax, reflects love and appreciation for craftsmanship in a very personal way.

In association with Arts Thread

Working with our partners at Arts Thread to develop lifelong learning and career opportunities for students of fashion and design. Our partnership provides the opportunity to compete on a world stage, participate in industry led workshops, set up an outstanding portfolio and gain access to the resources that will kickstart careers in fashion and design.