The Artwork of the Month for November is Modus (2022) by József Fehér, created from pine needles using traditional weaving techniques.
Fehér's work, presented at the TŰ-RÉS-HATÁR (NEEDLE-GAP-LIMIT) exhibition of the Szombathely Textile Triennial, is a meditative imprint of the encounter between nature and the human hand. The piece—a cylindrical object meticulously constructed from the needles of pine trees—hovers in midair, suspended above a metal bowl, creating a dialogue between material, form, and space.
The pine needle, as a raw material, carries the temporal and material transience of nature. The textile-like structure, composed of countless tiny, sharp elements, embodies the practice of patience, repetition, and attention. Here, the needle is not only a tool but also a symbol: it simultaneously evokes wounding and healing, boundaries and transitions. Fehér's work materializes the triad of needle-gap-limit through matter itself: the myriad intersections of pine needles, the light and air filtering through the gaps, and the tension between the floating form and the earth—all become manifestations of liminality.
The suspended cylinder, measuring 200 cm in height and 40 cm in diameter, is both immaterial and solid: it radiates lightness and enclosure at once. The metal bowl beneath it, containing water, symbolizes receptivity, absorption, and retention—suggesting the cycle of nature, the material's return to the earth. Reflected in the water's surface, the gently swaying, ribbon-like texture of the artwork comes to life; the subtle movement of reflection establishes a quiet dialogue between material and space.
Fehér József's work pushes the boundaries of contemporary textile art: instead of creating a textile in the traditional sense, he applies the concepts of weaving and threading to the order of nature itself. The interlocking system of pine needles—the natural "fabric" of the forest—becomes a cultural object, a meditative sculpture, through the reorganizing touch of the human hand. The piece is both an ecological statement and a poetic gesture: from one of nature's smallest and seemingly insignificant elements arises a silent, monumental presence.
