Artist Highlight - Ilamon Thangkhiew

1. Roots is inspired by the living root bridges of Meghalaya. What first drew you to translate those structures into textile form?

Their movements, just how beautiful natures system works. Initially I explored these ideas through woven fabrics, but I became increasingly interested in moving beyond the flat surface. I started experimenting with materials and creating three dimensional forms.
It became an exciting way of expanding my understanding of textile practice and material possibilities.

2. You work with wire, cotton and ramie fibre in ways that move beyond their usual functions. What did these materials begin to do once you treated them less conventionally?


These materials started taking on new meanings. Wire became a way of creating movement and drawing three-dimensional forms, while the fibres added texture, softness, and a sense of growth. Together, they allowed me to create forms that sit between textile and sculpture.This process opened up a new way of looking at textiles not just as surfaces, but as sculptural forms that can occupy and shape space.


3. The bridges are shaped slowly through nature, time and human guidance. How did that rhythm influence your own process of making?

These rhythm of these bridges became central to my own making process. Rather than working towards a fixed plan. I allow the materials to lead, responding to their properties and behaviours. This hands-on approach through repetition, experimentation of wrapping, binding, shaping and patience forms emerge gradually, reflecting the slow growth and evolution of the living root bridges.

4. Your practice is deeply connected to craft heritage and contemporary design. How do you avoid turning heritage into decoration?

For me, heritage is about process and storytelling rather than decoration. Working with weaving communities has shown me that heritage is a living practice that continues to evolve. I approach it with respect and curiosity, learning from traditional skills and adapting them through my own material explorations and style. It influences the materials I use, the way I work, and the stories behind the pieces.


5. There is a feeling of growth in the work, but also of tension and control. How do you balance those two forces in the structure?

I balance these forces through the relationship between colour, material and form.
For me, tension and control are not opposing forces, they are dependent on one another.
Tension provides structure and support that allows wire to hold its form, while the organic movement has a sense of growth and control.
Together, they create a visual and physical balance that reflects the resilience and adaptability found in the living root bridges that inspired the collection.


6. The forms suggest roots, movement and interconnection without explaining too much. How important is it that viewers can bring their own stories to the work?

Narrative is present within the work. It is also important that viewers have space to form their own interpretations. As I’m interested in how people respond to the work and the different meanings they find within it. Everyone brings their own perspective, memories, and experiences, and I think that openness allows the work to remain alive and evolving through different encounters and start conversations.


7. Your materials carry a strong tactile presence. What kind of physical response do you hope the work creates in the viewer?


As my process is very hands-on, I hope viewers can sense that physicality in the finished work. I want the pieces to draw people in through their textures and forms, creating a feeling of curiosity and connection. Even without touching them, I hope viewers can relate to the materials instinctively and experience a sense of movement, growth, and calm through the work.

8. You collaborate with weaving communities in Meghalaya. Does that relationship change the way you think about authorship, tradition and responsibility?


It really does. When you’re collaborating so closely with artisans who have these deep-rooted traditional skills, you can’t see it as just your own solo authorship. It’s a shared story, and I feel a huge sense of responsibility to honour their craft and the meaning behind it too. It shapes how I design when I work with them and making sure we acknowledge their contributions.

9. The living root bridges are both practical and poetic. Did you want Roots to hold that same balance between use, beauty and meaning?

Yes. In Roots, I wanted to capture the similar balance to the living root bridges. What fascinates me is that they exist naturally between purpose and beauty. They serve a practical purpose, yet they are shaped by time, care, and a deep connection to the environment.