Ann Cathrin November Høibo

Norwegian weaver Ann Cathrin November Høibo draws upon the pared- down aesthetic of her Nordic heritage to recraft landscapes in large-scale handwoven textiles.

Ann Cathrin November Høibo (Norway, born 1979), I know you less everyday, 2018, handwoven wool, silk, cotton, jersey, plastic, nylon, and wood, 86 1/4 x 66 1/4 x 1 1/34 inches. Collection of Lise Stolt- Nielsen. © Ann Cathrin November Høibo. Photograph by Thomas Tveter

Her abstract tapestries reject a traditional aesthetic of symmetry, refinement, and polish common in historic weavings. Instead, Høibo’s signature style consists of uneven surfaces, exposed knots, loose tangles, frayed hanging mechanisms, and so on.

For I know you less everyday, Høibo uses locally sourced gray wool and interweaves bright colors found in commercially produced materials such as silk, nylon strands, and plastic. Its allover pattern translates the energy, scale, and physicality of Norway’s landscape. The wool is Norwegian spælsau, or “Old Norwegian Short-Tail Landrace,” a material characterized by having two layers: an outer glossy wool that protects the inner parts against water and rain, and an underlying layer that keeps the sheep warm. The use of wool in her work is a nod to sheep, one of the oldest livestock animals in Norway. Sheep are instrumental in shaping Norway’s cultural and natural landscape through grazing, haymaking, and use of wild, uncultivated pastures in forests and mountains.

Ann Cathrin November Høibo (Norway, born 1979), Flukt Forover 2 [Escape Forward 2], 2017, handwoven coconut fiber, tulle, stones, acrylic pole, 86 2/3 x 70 3/4 x 2 3/4 inches. Courtesy of the artist and STANDARD (OSLO), Oslo. © Ann Cathrin November Høibo. Photograph by Vegard Kleven

Wool is also a critical material for surviving life on the long Norwegian coastline. Lots of people live by and of the sea, from north to south. The sheep have been crucial for craft, food, and warmth. The seaside is also very present in my work, more than the forest.
— Ann Cathrin November Høibo

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