Sofie Dawo (1926–2010) was an exceptional artist. Her unconventional creative strategy involved enhancing fabric by damaging or disrupting it. Through this radical treatment, the manufacturing process became literally inscribed into the object, with unpredictable – “emerging surprises” (Dawo) – deliberately factored in. Dawo’s textile experiments are devoid of any function or practical application and defy clear classification as either art or craft – they stand on their own.
The 22 works by Sofie Dawo, along with selected works on paper, displayed at the Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Applied Arts), are of particular interest due to their artistic merit and represent a cross-section of Dawo’s oeuvre. However, they also address key questions pertaining to the Kunstgewerbemuseum: Where do the boundaries between art and craft lie? And who defines them, when, and on what grounds?
Dawo preferred to be regarded as a textile artist rather than a craftsperson. What distinguished her experimental, artistic approach was that she focused entirely on the material – its specific properties and effects – and allowed it to respond to her touch, surprises and coincidences included.