Lærke Ryom turns furniture into dressed structures in raiments

Opening on 19 March 2026 in Copenhagen, Raiments introduces a body of work by Lærke Ryom that reconsiders the role of textile in furniture. Rather than treating upholstery as a method of control, the exhibition proposes an alternative logic in which fabric behaves as clothing. The title itself, drawn from an archaic word for garments, frames this shift from covering to dressing, from tension to drape.

Ryom approaches each object as a relationship between structure and softness. Wool textiles are hand-stitched directly into the construction, settling over frames with a natural fall that preserves their character. Instead of being pulled taut, the material is allowed to move, to gather, and to remain visibly independent. The furniture becomes a host rather than a fixed armature, supporting the textile without fully dictating its form.

This position subtly challenges the legacy of Danish functionalist modernism, where structure has traditionally been privileged and textile reduced to ornament. Ryom’s work rebalances this hierarchy by placing tactility and intimacy at the centre of the object. Softness is not treated as a surface condition but as a structural presence, capable of shaping perception and use.

The result is a series of pieces that dissolve the boundary between construction and sensibility. Form emerges through negotiation rather than imposition, suggesting a slower, more attentive approach to making in contrast to the efficiency-driven logic of industrial production.

The exhibition unfolds within the curatorial framework of Innenkreis, a space dedicated to functional artworks presented in relation to pre-1940 decorative arts. Founded by Zeynep Rekkali Jensen, the gallery positions contemporary works alongside historical objects, creating composed interiors where material and conceptual affinities emerge across time.

Within this context, Ryom’s pieces are placed in dialogue with works such as early twentieth-century tables by Josef Hoffmann and a lamp by Gio Ponti, as well as vernacular furniture. These juxtapositions extend the notion of hospitality beyond the single object, allowing old and new to reshape one another through proximity.

At the core of Raiments is an understanding of making as an act of care. Hand-stitching embeds time and attention into each piece, while the refusal to discipline material suggests an ethical stance toward both object and user. The work resonates with broader ideas of hospitality, where hosting implies openness to change rather than control.

In this setting, furniture becomes more than a functional entity. It operates as a site where material, body, and environment meet, proposing a quieter but more layered understanding of design. Through this approach, Ryom redefines the relationship between textile and structure, suggesting that softness, far from being secondary, is fundamental to how objects hold meaning in lived space.

Project Credit

Project name: Raiments
Designer: Lærke Ryom / @laerkeryom for Innenkreis
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Period: March 2026
Photo: Line Klein / @linethitklein, Robert Damisch / @r.damisch