An Interview with Victoria Manganiello

by Kennita Tully

(this article first appeared in American Tapestry Alliance’s “Tapestry Topics Spring 2023: Collaboration - Working Together”)*

Victoria Manganiello is a textile artist whose work takes on many forms. Whether installation, performance, or abstract paintings - fabrics are first woven by hand with hand-spun, hand-dyed yarns.  She uses textiles and weaving as a code, encouraging a universal language. Her work references history converging on the contemporary with a look to the future. At the core of them all are Connections and Collaboration.

In one project, “Mordant”, collaboration is important both between the materials as well as the people. It is an unusual project involving woven cloth as a canvas for an interactive dinner in which food is shared in direct contact with the cloth. The woven cloth becomes the canvas; the ingredients the medium.

In another, “c o m p u t e r 1.0”, clear tubing becomes weft that she wove by hand. Dye is pumped through the tubes with the aid of computers creating moving patterns of light and shadow . Past history of the computer is connected with the future of technology. 

I first heard of Victoria Manganiello through an artist talk with the Australian Tapestry Workshop where she was doing a residency in 2022. I was captivated by the variety of projects she was involved in and the importance of Collaboration in her work. She agreed to the following interview.

What led you to installation as the main expression of your textiles?

I’m interested in making large-scale experiential art installations as a way to encourage viewers to confront their relationship with the materials they are most familiar with, textile. When you remove textile from the scale and shape we are accustomed to (mainly within the context of clothing), you can see with more clarity, its basic function and structure as a material. Most of us are unfamiliar with how the things we use and rely on everyday are made including with the hands that make them. When you’re immersed in something and within a new context, perhaps you can see it in a different light. And perhaps that new light could encourage more responsible consumption considering our global needs in more sustainable and ethical production and use of textiles. 

I also love to make big things because I love making. I hope to find new ways to use my artwork to start dialogues and to represent my process as a deeply committed “maker.”  I’m always exploring and reading about people that can do that both by an approach of direct integration and of simultaneous yet distinct practice. For example, an artist like Mark Bradford inspires me in his ability to create abstract objects and engage regularly and directly with the social issues he cares about; These two things, for him, might feel distinct but in coming from the same individual are ultimately linked and informative. 

You’ve explored communication and human connection through many of your pieces.  What are your thoughts on Art being a universal way of communicating through language barriers?

I use abstraction in a lot of my work because I see it as a universal language; one where anyone can ascribe their own story and meaning. I hope that my work can facilitate dialogue and break down barriers between people that might otherwise clash but I also see art as an opportunity to simply bring more beauty into what often feels like an ugly world. I love working with beautiful, luscious materials and colors. Craft based art, in particular, shows the beauty of humanity by highlighting our ability to innovate and communicate across time and space. The universality of textiles can remind us that we are more similar than different as everyone no matter their age, race, gender, access, nationality, etc. has an intimate and familiar connection to cloth. We have it in common. It makes us human.

I read your statement: My recent projects incorporate materials from the seemingly extreme natural to the extreme synthetic and I make choices with density, color, and kinetics to demonstrate that binaries are impossible. I love this concept- that binaries are impossible. Anything you might want to add along these thoughts?

My process is very material driven and process based. I find the concepts and stories that my work ultimately represents through my experiments with new materials. Everything from the used materials I might find out in nature or even in the trash to the manufactured and designed ones I buy from a supplier inspire me. I like to push the boundaries of the materials and experiment with traditional tools and techniques that both “follow the rules” and break them. Every material has an origin and a destination; every aspect from their production to their existence in my pieces to ultimately somewhere else exists within a realm of so many possibilities, never constructed to just two sides of a binary. And I find this idea very poignant when looking at the cultural and societal concepts I want to explore in my work; Our world loves binaries: man/woman, young/old, good/bad, national/foreign, etc. but all of us often land somewhere in between the extremes. I use materials to explore this, especially when my visual language is abstract. 

You appear to be working on several collaborative projects at one time. Is there one experience that inspired you to collaborating with other artists?

I love collaborating…just like how combining different materials inspires my curiosity, so does the blending of multiple brains and I’ve found that most of the projects that I’m most proud of are the ones that have been made in collaboration. I think its unfortunate that the art and design worlds often elevate the individual and promote this idea that we manifest ideas alone in our studios because nothing ever happens in isolation. We learn and absorb things from the world around us and I’m especially inspired by history and in particular, the craftspeople that have innovated (in collaboration no less) with my favorite textile and weaving tools and materials. One thing, of many, that motivates me to continue collaborating is in embracing this idea that art and design, when the product of dialogue and collaboration, is more interesting, useful and important.

I was fascinated and moved by the Mordant project. I know it was halted due to the pandemic and you’ve moved on, but was it documented in any way other than the short trailer film? The cloths that were created during the dinners- have they or will they be exhibited?

“Mordant” has been an incredible experience that has also allowed me to collaborate with so many different people in the film and food industries. While the cloths we’ve created become more of a byproduct than the intention of the experience, I do save them all and have gifted sections of many to those who have attended. I hope to continue iterating that project at some point in the future but it has also inspired me to work with and think about the connection between textiles, ritual and food in other ways including the community cookbook I’m working on called “You Stir The Pot, the Fermentation Quilt” (made in collaboration with Petar Sapundjiev) and others. I am currently working on an interactive tablecloth during a residency in Arbon, Switzerland at TaDA. 

“Computer 1.0” and “Ancient Futures” are fascinating projects: can you explain your working relationship, or process?

Both of these projects are made in collaboration with other artists/designers/friends and in both cases I have some common and some different skills than my collaborators so we can work together to realize the projects from a practical standpoint, balancing one another to develop something bigger than each of us. A good collaboration requires a lot of communication, patience and humility and I’m lucky to have found some really incredible people to work with in Julian Goldman (computer 1.0) and Nicole Yi Messier (ancient futures). 

Many well known artist collaborators had a tendency to work in a series or a number of pieces. Do you feel that is the case for you as well with Julian Goldman and Soft Monitor? Any future projects you want to talk about?

We are always brainstorming and we have a few projects in the works that I hope to share with the world soon. Another mark of a great collaboration is a continued interest in developing. Since Julian and I have different backgrounds professionally, working together has also inspired many meta dialogues about what art and design can be. We want to do more with exploring this idea and promoting ideas like application, speculation, functionality, storytelling, education and engagement into our projects. And we also both collaborate with other people so our dialogue is growing, crossing more industries and considering more voices. More soon!! :-) 

Victoria Manganiello is an artist, designer, educator, and organizer. She has received many recognized grants, commissions, and residency appointments and exhibited her work internationally. She is also a part-time assistant professor of textiles at Parson’s and NYU. Learn more about her work on her website at https://www.victoriamanganiello.com.

*This article is just one of many available in “Tapestry Topics”, a special publication available to members of the American Tapestry Alliance. Learn more about ATA’s many other benefits and how to become a member here.