Serendipity

The science of happy accidents

Textile design project

How can we use accidents, which occur during housework and textile maintenance, in order to find new techniques for textile design?

Serendipity is defined as the talent for making discoveries, or as the science of happy accidents.

« It is essential to keep both eyes opened, one for what we are looking for and the other one, for what we are not looking for ».

Pek van Andel et Danièle Bourcier.

‘Serendipity, the science of happy accidents’ is a project interested in accidents that happen during housework and especially during the textile maintenance (during washing, drying, ironing, folding…) like stains, burns, shrinkage…

This project tries to predict the unpredictable by taking advantage out of these small accidents.

It aims to work on how to make accidents on purpose in order to find new techniques for textile design.

I try to get the best out of domestic mismanagements rather than ignoring them or trying to find a remedy to them. I contemplate and actively participate in imperfection, and I am interested in the unusual and in failure. This project attempts to find the balance between the spectacular and the disaster.

By experimenting with unpredictability and going against normality we find surprises. The science of serendipity shows that both happy accidents and success have in common to lead to extra-ordinary…

All words & images provided are © Caroline Angiulo.