Jack Lenor Larsen (1927 – 1920) was an American Textile Designer.
Education
Between 1945 – 1950 he studied at Washington University, Seattle. Between 1951 and 1952, he studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Biography
He opened his workshop in New York in 1952 and received his first commission, from the architecture firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, for draperies for 1952 Lever House, New York. At this time, he began machine-weaving fabrics that had the appearance of handweaving; they were subsequently much imitated. In 1958, he set up Larsen Design Studio for experimentation, consultation, and fabrication for large architecture projects; designed fabrics for the decorating trade and institutional and airline use; lectured and traveled widely, studying textile design. Larsen’s textile innovations included the first printed-velvet upholstery fabrics, the first stretch upholstery fabric in 1961, and the warp-knit Saran-monofilament casement fabric (including the 1960 Interplay). He created cabin upholstery fabrics for Pan Am in 1969 and Braniff 1972—78; the theater curtain for Filene Center for Performing Arts at Wolf Trap, Virginia, in 1971; quilted ban- ners for Sears Tower, Chicago, 1974; upholstery fabric for Cassina (1967) in 1981, and for Vescom. He wrote numerous books, including Elements of Weaving with Azalea Thorpe and Beyond Craft: The Art Fabric (1973) with Mildred Constantine.
Exhibitions
Work subject of 1980 ‘Jack Lenor Larsen: 30 Years of Creative Textiles’ exhibition, Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Received a gold medal at 1964 (XIII) Triennale di Milano and 1964 Premio Compasso d’Oro. In 1983 he was elected Honorary Royal Designer for Industry.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
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