Interwoven Lines: A Practice-Based Investigation of Tim Ingold’s Meshwork

Anthropologist Tim Ingold argues that the world is shaped by interconnected processes. He argues that, because all materials are constantly changing due to their interactions with various forces, everything is on a trajectory that can be conceived of as a line. These ‘lines’ interweave and form a 'meshwork', described by Ingold as an ‘ever-evolving weave’ (Ingold 2011, 71). In this research, I investigate how lines interweave in practice and what impact this has on the structure of what is woven. Through a series of practice-based experiments, I focus on the behaviour of yarns, tools, and weave structures to reveal how material engagement enhances and refines our understanding of Ingold’s theoretical proposition. I have identified three key factors as central to the meshwork: the properties of individual lines, their interactions, and the external forces influencing their behaviour. Through practice-based research, I examine Ingold's theoretical concept of an ever-evolving weave in order to ascertain whether or how such an 'ever evolving weave' might be possible in a reality comprised of actual threads. This doctoral research demonstrates the veracity of Anni Albers' assertion that observable processes of weaving can generate insights relevant to other fields. In terms of weaving practice, the outcome of my research project is that we understand weaving beyond its material product and instead as a continuous and evolving process. The woven form is the result of ongoing interactions between lines, influenced by the material properties and the processes they undergo. What is woven can be understood as a byproduct of the behaviour of lines, shaped by their histories, continual interplay, and therefore can be considered dynamic.