In vino veritas (wine reveals the truth) is a plain white tablecloth that only reveals its damask pattern as wine is spilled on it.
This series of textile experiments was first commissioned by DesignMarketo for Apartamento Magazine’s showroom in milan during the Salone del Mobile in Milan; another bespoke edition was later commissioned and exclusively sold at Selfridges in London.
This work is part of a research on ephemeral stencils, looking into “programming” a shape or word to appear, evolve and disappear according to changes in its environment. Traditionally, damasks were woven in a single colour, with a glossy warp-faced satin pattern against a duller ground, causing the thread to reflect the light differently according to the position of the observer. The idea here was to create a pattern that would only be revealed under certain circumstances, just as truth and secrets would. The tannin can be fixated by washing the tablecloth in cold water with 1kg of salt instead of laundry powder. Once washed, the color varies from grey to blue accordingly to the wine used, creating layers of different hues of tannin use after use.
