Esther Sailer – Scholarship recipient, Ung Svensk Form 2026
Scholarship: Ogeborg
Supervision and independent project in the studio with a focus on hand-tufted textiles.
Quality of Life: slightly used, gently loved
My work takes its starting point in the artistry of weaver Theo Moorman, in a fascination with the weaving technique that bears her name. It is about the freedom that the technique allows, being able to combine free picking with a shuttle-woven base, where an organic form language can meet the naturally straight structure of the weave. I have worked on weaving an image in wool and silk, where the surfaces of the weave are transparent and layered, with a blurriness and shapes that merge into one another. In an effort to create soft color transitions and shifts in color, from dark to light, I have dyed my material by hand.
Along with exploring the tech side of things, my work also looks into the motif, an image that shows a feeling of a memory from a hospital room. The theme of healthcare and nursing is a big part of my life; I studied to be a biomedical analyst, worked in elderly care, and have been sick myself. It is both a personal processing of an experience and an interest in what healthcare and nursing are. What does it mean to care for and be cared for? To take care of and be taken care of? To be on both sides of a room?