SONIC FABRIC - Designtex Surface Imaging

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SONIC FABRIC - quite possibly the world’s only work of conceptual art available by the
yard!
At first glance SONIC FABRIC, an extremely unique textile woven from 50% recycled
audiocassette tape and 50% polyester, may seem like a specialty or novelty fabric. Launched
as part of Designtex Guggenheim Collection 2007 - it won “Best Textile in Show” at ICFF
that year - SONIC FABRIC is so much more. It is not only beautiful, versatile, audible (try
running a tape head over it) and upcycled, it is also quite possibly the world’s only work of
conceptual art available by the yard.
SONIC was accidentally invented by internationally recognized sound and conceptual artist
Alyce Santoro. Inspired to weave a literal fabric made of sound, she began with a collection of
100 individual cassette tapes containing sounds that she found moving or significant. In 2001,
she commissioned a friend at the Rhode Island School of Design to weave two panels of cloth
combining the audiotape with a cotton warp. Quite unexpectedly, the resulting material was
not only gorgeous and easy to work with, it also emitted sound when a tape head was
drawn along its surface. In 2002 Alyce began showing a simple A-line dress made from the
original batch of SONIC FABRIC in New York galleries, instantly attracting attention not only
from the art world, but from the interior and fashion design worlds as well.
Before long, Alyce realized that she would need to find a way to mass-produce the material in
order to meet the demand from designers. She found both a source for surplus cassette tape
and a small family-operated mill in New England (where SONIC is still woven today) willing
to work with unusual materials. Once production was in place, she sought to form a relationship
with a distributor with a commitment not only to sustainability, but to maintaining SONIC
FABRIC’s integrity as a work of conceptual art. Designtex fit the bill.
Alyce’s artworks made from SONIC FABRIC are exhibited in museums and galleries around the
world. In addition, it has been featured in many publications including the New York Times, and
on the “Create” episode of the Sundance Channel’s “Big Ideas for a Small Planet”.
SONIC FABRIC has been included in several books on sustainable art, design, and fashion.
Yardage and artworks are in the collections of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, the
Fashion Institute of Technology in NY, the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Jon
Fishman (former percussionist of the band Phish)., and Laurie Anderson.
Designers who are using or have used SONIC FABRIC in their own work include hatmaker Lola
Ehrlich, legendary fashion designer Koos Van den Akker, French menswear and accessories
designer and activist Pierre André Senizergues, and New York based designer Julio Cesar.
Currently (as of August 2009) SONIC FABRIC is on exhibit at the Gwangju Design
Biennale in Seoul, South Korea (opens Sept 18), in “Futurotextiles: Surprising Textiles,
Design, & Art” at the Jim Thomspon Foundation in Bankok, Thailand, and as part of
“Fashion for Thought” at Koldinghus, in Kolding, Denmark (closes September 6).

Customers may be interested to know that SONIC FABRIC is likely to increase in value
simply by being a very special part of Alyce Santoro’s body of work, available by the yard
exclusively through Designtex.
Every inch of SONIC FABRIC is recorded with an intricate collage of sounds prior to weaving.
The yardage available through Designtex is recorded with “BETWEEN STATIONS”, a custom
collage commissioned by Designtex, and based on life in New York City. For the project, Alyce
combed through hundreds of samples she’d collected during her years living in post-9/11 New
York. To her, every sound was precious, each one a tiny snippet of the human experience. The
CD of the sound collages contained on the Designtex edition of SONIC FABRIC is
available to customers.
Alyce is available at all times to speak directly with customers. Please refer to her
websites (alycesantoro.com and sonicfabric.com – which will soon be completely
revamped) for up-to-the-minute information on current exhibitions and media. Email her
at alyce@alycesantoro.com to sign up for a monthly newsletter. Alyce is also available to
give presentations and lectures on the inspiration behind the material, and on the
creative process in general.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Google SONIC FABRIC or ALYCE SANTORO to get a feel for the incredible amount of
press and enthusiasm around this project.
Visit Alyce’s YOUTUBE channel at alyceobvious to see short videos on SONIC FABRIC,
including one on the factory where it is woven, and another showing Jon Fishman’s (of
PHISH) performance on stage wearing a playable garment made of SONIC FABRIC.
Watch the CREATE episode of “Big Ideas for a Small Planet” on the Sundance Channel.
RESOURCES:
FUTUROTEXTILES 2009
http://www.jimthompson.com/event_calendar/FUTUROTEXTILES.asp
GWANGJU DESIGN BINNALE
http://www.gwangju-biennale.org/?mid=sub_eng&mode=03&sub=01
FASHION FOR THOUGHT
http://www.koldinghus.dk/Default.aspx?ID=3037
SONIC FABRIC YOUTUBE CHANNEL
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F487A1EA6AEC31C8
BOOK: EXPERIMENTAL ECO DESIGN (WITH SONIC FABRIC DRESS MADE FOR JON
FISHMAN ON COVER)
http://www.amazon.com/Experimental-Eco-Design-Product-Architecture-
Fashion/dp/2880468175

SONIC FABRIC
http://www.sonicfabric.com
ALYCE SANTORO
http://www.alycesantoro.com
VOIDNESS DRESS by Alyce Santoro, 2007
Photo by Erik Gould, Courtesy of RISD Museum

JON FISHMAN’S RHYTHM DRESS by Alyce Santoro
Recorded with custom sound collage commissioned by Jon Fishman.
Worn and played on stage in 2004.

THE TELL TAIL THANGAS (SAILBOAT SAILS) by Alyce Santoro, 2007
Photo courtesy of the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art

SONIC FABRIC “SUPERHERO QUALITY” NECKTIES by Alyce Santoro and Julio Cesar.
Available at the New Museum Shop in Manhattan and via http://improbable.supermarkethq.com
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