At first glance, the tiles in Unika Vaev’s newest collection, Folded Poetry, look like typical geometric acoustic solutions. Yet this series of three pieces, designed by Eliza Redmann, were inspired by the sculptural artist’s experiences after a car accident changed her life forever.
Redmann, founder and principal of Folded Poetry studio in Durham, North Carolina, had recently completed her graduate studies and was working as an architectural designer. Yet the collision in 2018 left her with a traumatic brain injury and altered her career trajectory. She could no longer spend an extended period reading or doing other visually demanding work while sitting at a desk, which used to be second-nature activities to her. She knew she had to pivot, but still wanted to channel her imagination and bring her ideas to an enriching endeavor. “Just because you’re disabled doesn’t mean that you’re not creative,” Redmann says.
During the added isolation of the pandemic, Redmann began experimenting in short increments of time, which was less taxing on her nervous system. She made modules via a computer software program, and then printed, cut, and assembled three-dimensional forms. She then posted the unique arrangements on Instagram and soon received an enthusiastic response from followers – and commissions for a variety of installations followed.
When she was introduced to the team at Unika Vaev, it became clear that a collaboration would be ideal, with the modular artworks seamlessly adapted to commercial-grade acoustic products. The three styles she created not only absorb sound waves, but also visually mimic disorientation. Redmann, for example, sees “swimming” or undulating patterns when she looks at a brick wall, tile floors, or striped shirts.
Diad is the first-ever Folded Poetry design that Redmann created during the earliest days of the pandemic. The diamond-shaped symbol of her brand, Diad, represents her exploration, utilizing paper sculptures to capture her journey. The tiles include four directionally scattered surfaces for total acoustic enhancement.
Offering maximum wall coverage, Hexad features six distinct surfaces and surrounding facets that scatter as well as absorb sound waves. Pieces can also be joined together to create custom wall artworks of irregular undulating geometries.
At once simple and perplexing, Triad includes three directionally scattered surfaces, and it is the smallest of the three tiles in the collection. It can be arranged in dense side-by-side configurations or interspersed with spaces to create different looks. Made from PET felt, the tiles are available in a range of colorways and Wilsonart printed surfaces.
The collection is a deeply personal one for Redmann, which she hopes will give others greater empathy for those with different challenges, apparent or not. “Through my art, I am giving the viewer a glimpse of the world I move through with an invisible disability,” she adds.
Eliza Redmann of Folded Poetry \\\ Photo: Matt Ramey
For more information on the Folded Poetry collection, visit unikavaev.com.
Photography courtesy of Unika Vaev.
