UPDATE November 20, 2013: Tanya Aguíñiga’s work is being featured at the Hammer Museum’s ArtsReSTORE LA project in Westwood Village. She, along with other local artists, occupies a vacant storefront that features wall…
UPDATE November 20, 2013: Tanya Aguíñiga’s work is being featured at the Hammer Museum’s ArtsReSTORE LA project in Westwood Village. She, along with other local artists, occupies a vacant storefront that features wall hangings, knitted rope lamps, furniture, jewelry, clothing, and new accessories created on site.
This week’s DnA pick for the KCRW Store is the Rope Knot Bracelet. This chunky cuff is knotted and custom-dyed in KCRW colors—maroon and light plum—by Los Angeles designer Tanya Aguíñiga.
Tanya Aguíñiga grew up on both sides of the Mexican-American border, commuting to school each day in San Diego while living in Tijuana. Inspired by this daily exchange between cultures, Aguíñiga experiments with traditional craft techniques gleaned from communities around the world, which she blends with her own unmistakably Southern California aesthetic. With a focus on colorful textiles and playful textures, Aguíñiga designs furniture, fashion, accessories, art and installations which are at once surprising and familiar—like her now-famous Felt Chair, a mundane metal folding chair encased with bright felted wool.
Inspired by the intricate handiwork of sailors and fishermen, Aguíñiga creates the Rope Knot Bracelet using a classic Turk’s Head knot widely found in nautical applications. The bracelet is not only an eye-catching piece of statement jewelry, but also a contemporary work of art honoring an age-old craft. The bracelets are made from cotton rope and use all-natural dyes, made to order in her Atwater Village studio.
From her bracelets to her massive sculptural wallhangings, every piece Aguíñiga creates contains evidence of the handmade—knitting a continuous thread that connects her Atwater Village studio to other makers around the globe. Hear her talk about her work in this interview with Alissa Walker on this DnA podcast.
Pick up the Rope Knot Bracelet in the KCRW Store and proceeds will benefit KCRW. Aguíñiga also makes matching necklace, made of unraveled cotton rope dip dyed in two colors. Get that direct from tanyaaguíñiga.com.