Olivia Koval

Into Knowing

Into Knowing​ considers how we retain a connection with nature as the world becomes increasingly urbanized. Through tapestry weaving, Olivia Koval explores touch as a way to re-familiarize ourselves with nature and view ourselves as part of it. Through her work, she questions how we can utilize the calming qualities of nature in urban environments where the wildness of nature is not always readily accessible. It is not only the act of touching natural life, but the association with a sense of place that gives materials the ability to develop a personal connection. Thus, she focuses on using New York based materials such as locally sourced wool and reclaimed plant life leftover from events in NYC. By using irregularly shaped materials, the work expands from a state of organic movement where each part responds to the others around it.

Olivia Koval is a maker from North Carolina influenced by her time spent in nature growing up. In a family of avid gardeners, her relationship with nature developed as one of play and physical labor to tend to the garden they all cared for. Here, the idea of materials as a record of place and location developed as an influence on her work. She values knowing what materials our textiles are made of, knowing where they come from and knowing our own backyards again.

kovao345@newschool.edu