Mayumi Kaneko is a hand weaver who came to the UK in 2003 and learned weaving from local weavers. She was educated in the UK and finished her post graduate course at Bath School of Art and Design in 2013.

She develops woven textures and patterns to make beautiful and intriguing fabrics, having a great passion for materials in particular paper yarn. She designs for fashion, interiors and lighting.

Using paper yarn  woven fabrics  in conjunction with lighting, exciting visual effects are  produced. The woven fabrics can be folded in different patterns which are derived from Japanese origami techniques, creating strength. The resulting faceted shapes produce the variety of light and shadow. Her lights introduce the sculptural art of lighting and whist having strong abstract and geometric forms, show clear inspiration from natural growth forms.
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Alexandra Lucas’s TMO: The Mars Odyssey, is a conceptual collection of Jacquard and Dobby woven conceptual fabrics that make up the six protective layers of a Mars Exploration Suit.

Her work can be seen at The Lethaby Gallery, London N1c 4AA within   ‘The Intelligent Optimist’ Exhibition,  a London Design Festival event 2015. 19th Sept – 17th Oct 2015.

Alexandra has woven concept textiles for: a radiation layer, 3 pressure layers, an oxygen and temperature layer, as well as a sensory membrane layer which detects the biometrics of the body.

She anticipates that after a period of time human bodies would start adapting to the conditions of Mars. Thus, if a layer is no longer needed it could be taken off to reveal the next layer. In the end,  the Mars Exploration Suit would enable humans to evolve and adapt over time and the suit itself would be no longer needed.

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