The curtain track takes center stage
Press release 22/05/2024
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS THE HAND THAT DRAWS THE DESIGNS OR THE HANDS THAT BRING THEM TO LIFE, THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ARTIST BIRGITTE DUE MADSEN AND THE DANISH FAMILY COMPANY STILLING HAS BEEN ENRICHING AND FRUITFUL. THE RESULT CAN BE EXPERIENCED IN THE ARTIST’S STUDIO, WHERE CURTAIN TRACKS IN DEEP AUBERGINE UNDULATE ACROSS THE CEILING, SIMULTANEOUSLY CONCEALING AND REVEALING THE ARTIST’S MANY CREATIVE WORKS TO CURIOUS EYES.
Who says a curtain track has to be mounted in a specific place or take on a classic form? Birgitte Due Madsen thinks quite the opposite. Why not make the tracks striking and unique, reflecting an atmosphere or sculptural piece? With her usual ingenuity, she has turned the relationship between curtain and track on its head, adding, in her own words, a new “queen” to the space through an eye-catching graphic element.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL OPPOSITES
In the interplay between the sleek, flowing rods and the coarsely woven curtains, the artist creates a striking contrast between the materials, as well as the colour combination of white linen and burgundy-coloured aluminum. It is not only the rods that wave through the studio, but also the curtains from Vivesti, suspended using the well-known wave system.
Stilling has shaped the tracks to reflect the artist’s design language, while also meeting the many needs of a working studio, where it must conceal the artworks, tease, and inspire visitors. The tracks are therefore crafted to manage both daylight and darkness, as well as to hide ongoing projects and valuable materials.
Additionally, the curtains block drafts from both the street door and the basement and draw attention away from the grayish tiles on the floor.
FROM LAUNDROMAT TO STUDIO
Before Birgitte Due Madsen took over the space in Frederiksberg, it housed noisy washing machines and humming dryers, and although every trace of the launderette was gone, there remained a harshness in the rooms; the acoustics were poor, and decoration was lacking. Thanks to the many meters of fabric, the acoustics have gone from harsh to friendly, and a welcoming homeliness emerged the moment the ornate tracks were mounted, serving as a form of decorative molding.
The collaboration between Stilling and Birgitte Due Madsen is a clear example of what happens when an industrial expert joins forces with an artistic soul. Not only are ideas turned upside down, but new demands are also set. It is a fruitful exchange of ideas that has redefined the relationship between curtain and track, as the track, according to Birgitte Due Madsen, holds so many possibilities for expressing personal taste and creativity.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Curtain track: AP 0689, specially lacquered
Material: 75% recycled aluminum
Fabric: Belluci from Vivesti
Material: 100% linen
AP 0689 / custom coloured
