andrew scott weaves still life tapestries from scraps of fabric

from scrap fabric to contemplative still lifes

A playful yet contemplative twist on still life art, Andrew Pierce Scott’s recent series turns to an unconventional medium and canvas — discarded fabrics and overlooked textiles. Cutting and sewing these found scraps back together, the artist metamorphoses waste into compositions that celebrate and elevate the mundane. Using the ‘everyday’ as both his core inspiration as well as the material source, the first piece of the collection started as an intuitive reimagining of a simple meal. Across the tapestries, scrap pink satin becomes slices of pistachio flecked mortadella or the exoskeleton of shrimp, an aged rain jacket turns into the skin of a salmon, and green velour transforms into a succulent fig, a tablecloth, or sage leaves.

still life with salmon and spring onions, scrap fabric, 50x65cm

andrew scott reimagines the everyday

With a background in Classics and Art, and a Master’s degree in Design Products from the Royal College of Art (RCA), Andrew Pierce Scott has long been intrigued by the poetic aspect of the mundane, echoing its utilization in various art forms across the history of material culture — such as the Ancient Roman unswept floor mosaics which depicted discarded scraps of food and food remnants. By rendering these otherwise often overlooked and fleeting subjects in various overlapping shades and textures of fabrics, the artist honors these moments and bestows them with a sense of poignancy.

‘Amidst the frantic pace of our current time, these steady compositions invite a contemplative introspection, and a focus on these minor, fleeting moments which can hold great resonance as we the viewer see ourselves reflected in these scenes,’ notes Scott. Each piece portrays a particular still-life of an often imagined tableau, typically consisting of glassware, crockery, and an assortment of food items. The presented objects in this contemporary series, from grilled fish and squash blossoms to glasses of wine and matchboxes, are all brought to life by different layers of fabric sewn together. The objects appear to warp and distort when viewed through the ‘transparent’ subjects depicted, which in turn convey depth and dimension. Shadows cast by the fabric layers lend heft and substance to the objects, seemingly emerging from the canvas.

still life with mortadella and squash blossoms, scrap fabric, 60x72cm

During his studies at the RCA, the artist would collects different samples and scraps of fabrics left by outgoing fashion students, along with materials from his own irreparable clothing, old curtains, leaky rain jackets, and other overlooked textiles. This collection which includes a range of colours, sheens and textures then becomes his palette, and imagination and the element of chance are then further utilized to give second life to these materials. The trompe l’oeil effect Scott employs is later enhanced by the creative use of thread, which plays a role in not only securing fabric layers but also a descriptive element emphasizing edges and introducing a more filigree element to the otherwise substantial blocks of colour and texture.

still life with trout and lemon, scrap fabric, 43x58cm

still life with mortadella and figs, scrap fabric, 40x63cm

still life with sardines, scrap fabric, 41x57cm

still life with plaice and lemon, scrap fabric, 48x80cm

still life with shrimp and lemon, scrap fabric, 48x62cm

project info:

name: Scrap Fabric Still Lifes
artist: Andrew Pierce Scott

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom