Lace in Translation

A groundbreaking exhibition by The Design Center at Philadelphia University, Lace in Translation explores the intersection of Luxurious hand-craftsmanship with modern mass production. From the intricacy of a hand-woven raffia curtain to the industrial art forms of laser-cut fabrics, a welded filigree oil tank, and a Lace chain-link fence, Lace in Translation challenges traditional notions of what lace is and how it functions.

This richly illustrated exhibition catalogue, an exceptional reference for all those interested in design, art, and industrial history, is filled with full-color reproductions and photographs of intriguing source materials---elegant drawings, machine-made lace samples, and savvy marketing materials---that served as touchstones of inspiration for internationally-acclaimed artists and designers Tord Boontje, Cal Lane, and Demakersvan. Utilizing unexpected materials and technologies, each contributor created extraordinary new works to transform The Design Center's galleries and grounds.

Lace in Translation showcases these remarkable creations from inception through installation, offering rare glimpses into the design and production processes, and features illuminating interviews with Lane, Boontje, and Demakersvan. The catalogue explores the broader context and history of lace as a design element. An essay by co-curator Nancy Packer chronicles the historical underpinnings of the exhibition in the designs and products of the Quaker Lace Company of Philadelphia in the early 20th century, while design historian Matilda McQuaid surveys the re-emergence of lace in contemporary design.

Lace in Translation spurs a dynamic discourse around lace---that "series of threads around a hole"---exploring, challenging, and overturning the expected and the predictable. It confronts our assumptions about lace, about design, about past and present, about inspiration and invention.

Matilda McQuaid discusses expanded definitions of lace in contemporary design, while Nancy Packer summarizes the history of the Quaker Lace Company of Philadelphia and the impact of its products and designs on the work created for Lace in Translation. Interviews with the the artists and designers explore the relationship of lace to their creative processes.