Pliable Logic as a Practice-Led Research Methodology for Textile Practice

Abstract

In this paper, the researcher would like to propose a novel research methodology based on pleating action and how pleats are formulated, herein named “pliable logic.” It provides a recursive and malleable production and thinking route that encourages researchers to seek meanings in between different phases of textile thinking and research. Through years of teaching, researching and making pleats, the researcher as a maker has come to an understanding that pleating, like other textile productions, for example, stitching and weaving, has its own philosophical stance as a distinct branch under textile thinking. Pliable logic merges three textile-thinking-related concepts, including “soft logic” from Pennia Barnett, Sarat Maharaj’s description of Janis Jefferies’ “creative production” and “plica ex plica” from Gilles Deleuze, all of which resonate to certain characters of pleats and pleating that establish the foundation of the methodology. The details of each element are illustrated in this paper. The intention of the paper is to (1) encourage textile design practitioners and researchers to consider their study and production from another perspective under textile thinking and to (2) emphasize that various textile fabrications do have a potential philosophical stance to broaden the scope of textile thinking.