Yes, Your Seat Cushion Is a Flotation Device, But That Basket’s No Wetsuit

Neoprene is wetsuit plastic  – yes, the insulating costume that only rare humans should be seen donning; that lithe surfers wear in the Pacific (cold all year)  – usually black, always slick (think seal-skin, water-repellent, shiny when wet). This startling basket spotted last week at Santa Fe Weaving Gallery, 124 1/2 Galisteo Street, is knitted neoprene, with fabricated neoprene thread. I love the idea of  needles knitting neoprene! Neoprene thread, go figure, Im still musing on whether it has scarf potential or only if youre Rubber Lady.

I spotted this white loopy divinyl as I had just stepped over the threshhold of the small but potently curated SFWG, and went Wawawow wawisthat? The work is by Italian designer Rosanna Contadini; her 3-year-old company Neo specializes in production of neoprene baskets and jewelry – and, get this – cushions for outdoors with inflatable insides. (Ahem.)

$950, this basket ran out of here so fast that it might have been a mirage, something too fabulous to last – but I got a picture (courtesy the gallery, thanks). 26 inches in diameter, the baskets high point is 18″ . Ah, Italia. And Santa Fe where this design gallery for body and house (wheres the distinction?) is continually expanding definitions of “weaving” and showing the evolving idea and material of textiles. For one edgy vessel is where its at, especially per (piacere)  Signora Contadini.

Heres a link to a Neo Design slideshow that shows the close weave of neoprene knits.

And heres Rubber Lady.  The raw and the cooked.

 

 

 

 

Read more by
Write us your thoughts about this post. Play nice.