Textiles are telltale of the history of civilizations, for they whisper their heritage through motifs and designs. From medieval tapestries to fabrics intended for wear, artist Aiko Tezuka is fascinated by the stories that echo behind these beautiful creations. Certainty/Entropy is her exploration of these invisible narratives, various heritages and their motifs, and the evolving cultures in the world today. Through the act of meticulously unraveling fabrics by hand, Tezuka creates compelling compositions of loosened threads, offering a poetic transformation of industrially produced textiles into their constituent parts.

Nestled in Third Floor are four multicoloured fabric works, conceptualized and produced by Tezuka and her team of seven artisans at a textile lab in Holland. Weaving an immediately vibrant assortment of birds, butterflies, flowers and fruit patterns inspired by Singapore’s cultural diversity, Tezuka subtly interlaces modern-day iconographies into them, reflecting her fascination with intercultural exchanges and the metamorphosis of societies. Curious for alternative histories, Tezuka further “unravels tradition” by pulling out threads from the compositions, offering a different perspective in the process. The woven motifs fade out gently into blurred images under her meticulous hands, seeking hidden stories beneath the fabric of life.

Breathtakingly intricate, the creative gestures behind Certainty/Entropy resonate with Third Floor’s commitment to artistry and innovation. Here, Tezuka welcomes viewers into a contemplative space to ponder the narratives of life, and encourages them to muse upon their histories and the paths that were not taken.

-Third Floor Hermes

Image: © Aiko Tezuka
Photo: Masaru Yanagiba