An exhibition of textile works by Rachel Mari Simkover in /room/, juried by Aaron Harbour and Jackie Im.

Deflected is an exhibition of three textile pieces by Rachel Mari Simkover. The exhibition’s title refers to both the weave structure used throughout each work (“deflected double weave”) and the way pattern and color direct the viewer’s attention. The defining characteristic of the deflected double weave is the creation of curves and wiggles within the pattern that are not usually possible within the grid of a typical weave structure. Simkover paints the yarns before setting them up on the loom. The shifting of yarn under tension results in gradations of color that she has little control over while weaving. This process creates unpredictable color combinations and an ebb and flow of visibility and contrast. The interplay of color and pattern variations creates an energetic vibration. Certain areas of each weaving pop forward while others recede, causing the eye to ricochet back and forth across the surface. The pieces in Deflected delve into the dynamic relationship between structure and improvisation, a recurring theme in Simkover’s practice.

Rachel Mari Simkover (b. 1989, Berkeley, CA, USA) is a Japanese-American visual artist currently based in Sydney, Australia and Oakland, CA. Her practice has evolved from painting and printmaking during her studies at Cornell University and Goldsmiths University of London, to artists’ books self-published as Book Hook Editions, to her current interest in weaving. Her work explores the desire to find personal freedom within inevitable restrictions and retain curiosity in the pursuit of beauty.