Sculptural Weaving and Handwoven Fiber Installations
We transform raw materials like copper, hemp, and jute into architectural narratives. Explore our collection of large-scale sculptural forms where material, light, and space converge.
A wide view of the 'India Everywhere' installation, where handwoven metallic surfaces flow like a gleaming river. The structure, meticulously crafted with copper wires and cotton accents, transforms industrial frameworks into a singular, expressive sculptural form that speaks of tradition and modernity.
This video shows the immersive scale of our handwoven copper installation. Viewers are invited to walk through the metallic fabric, experiencing its texture and the way it interacts with light, bridging the gap between traditional craft and industrial finishing.
A glimpse into our studio during the creation of the 'Cu+Fibers' exhibition. Here, panels of woven hemp, jute, and upcycled cotton stand as visible islands of thought, each an aggregate of small discoveries molded by light and material knowledge.
The 'Cu+Fibers' exhibition explores the incidental and the intentional in textile art. This piece, titled 'Colony', is a woven sculpture created from a play of natural fibers, where a broad intent gradually becomes a series of tangible, interconnected ideas.
An overhead view of the 'Confluence' installation, where visitors engage with our large-scale fiber sculptures. The work is a continuous dialogue with materials, a process of forming, connecting, and discovering the narrative possibilities inherent in hemp, jute, and copper.
A visitor interacts with the hanging fiber sculptures from our 'Cu+Fibers' exhibition. Each piece is a result of improvisation and response to the materials, creating an aggregate of joys and visible ideas shaped by light and form.
A moment of celebration with our team at the conclusion of the 'Cu+Fibers 2024' exhibition. Our studio space, filled with the very creations born from it, serves as the backdrop for reflecting on a journey of material exploration and collaborative creation.
This installation of lacquered wooden spindles from Channapatna complements the handwoven copper panels of 'India Everywhere'. The piece represents the fusion of India's rich craft traditions with a contemporary design aesthetic, creating a vibrant, textured landscape.
A wider perspective of the 'India Everywhere' exhibit, showcasing the dialogue between different craft forms. The hanging installation of colorful Channapatna spindles contrasts with the metallic sheen of the woven copper, together telling a story of India's diverse and evolving design language.
The sheer scale of the handwoven copper installation for 'India Everywhere' is captured here. The metallic surfaces are designed to envelop the viewer, creating a multi-dimensional experience that is both architectural and deeply rooted in the cultural significance of copper.
About Sculptural Weaving & Fiber Art
When we work with copper, hemp, or jute, the installation’s structural integrity is as vital as its form. We do not simply drape materials; we engineer tension, mapping how metallic wires and organic threads respond to environmental lighting and spatial flow. It is a precise intersection where industrial rigging meets the softness of hand-weaving, ensuring every sculpture feels grounded yet ephemeral.
A Material-First Approach to Space
Our process begins with material obsession. We do not approach a commission with a fixed blueprint, as we prefer to let the nature of the fiber guide the structural outcome. Whether we are manipulating copper wire to mimic the flow of a river or weaving hemp into rigid, monolithic islands, our goal is to create objects that invite human interaction and contemplation.
The Engineering of Fiber
Creating large-scale installations (up to 12ft in height) requires more than just artistic vision; it demands technical discipline. Our workflow encompasses:
- Material Prototyping: We test how specific weaves—whether handspun or machine-made—behave under tension before moving to full-scale fabrication.
- Structural Rigging: We design custom armatures that allow heavy metals like copper to hang with grace, ensuring safety and visual lightness.
- Lighting Interaction: We often integrate profile spotting to accentuate the shadows cast by our fibers, as we believe the negative space around an object is as important as the object itself.
Custom Commissions
We frequently collaborate with brands and interior architects to create site-specific interventions. By blending old-world craft traditions with contemporary spatial demands, we transform empty volumes into emotional sanctuaries. If you are seeking an installation that moves beyond static decoration to tell a specific story, we would love to discuss how our fiber-based sculptures can inhabit your space.
Wari Watai
We are Wari Watai, a Bangalore-based design studio driven by an obsession with how materials feel and occupy space. For over a decade, we have been experimenting with the interplay of copper, fiber, and shadow, turning intangible concepts into physical, walk-through experiences. We do not work from a fixed blueprint; we let the materials lead the way, finding stories in the folds and weaves of every installation.
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