Sidewall, Ombre

This proposed acquisition includes two lengths of lamontage wallcoverings, one in the Ombre pattern and the other in the Swirl pattern. Ombre shades from black to grays to white, with each color blending gently into the next, while Swirls has coils of colored fibers on a multi-color ground. These patterns were selected to show the diversity of the medium, and each reflects a blend of colors not easily accomplished with standard wallpaper printing techniques.
They both use Liora’s patented needle punch process called lamontage which is based on an ancient technique involving barbed needles repeatedly passing through polyester fibers into a fabric support binding the fibers together. The fibers are manipulated and the pattern is set using a hand punch in Manne’s New York studio. After the pattern is completed the fabric is sent to a factory in China where it is run through a commercial high-speed, high density needling machine which securely and permanently interlocks the fibers to the base fabric. This process also blends the different color fibers together. After the fabric passes out of the machine it is coated with a binder for durability and treated with nano silver particles to make it antimicrobial. This step also makes the product mildew free and stain resistant.
These textiles are produced in a weight that makes them appropriate for wallcoverings, and are designed for direct application to the wall with paste. They introduce new techniques and materials to the wallcoverings collection. These would enhance the groups of contemporary wallcoverings as well as women designers.

Sidewall, Ombre; Designed by Liora Manne; needle-punched polyester fibers, polyester support; H x W: 188 × 121.9 cm (6 ft. 2 in. × 48 in.); Gift of Liora Manne; 2016-47-1