Twyla Exner

Conversion is an embroidered satellite dish that transforms obsolete communication technology into a textured, hand-woven surface. The title references the dish’s original purpose—converting microwave signals into electrical data—while the work itself reflects a different kind of conversion: the shift from discarded infrastructure to a slow, materially attentive object.

Using post-consumer telecommunication cables, including plastic-coated and bare copper wires, in place of thread, abstracted forms inspired by roots, river systems, florals, and fungi are embroidered on the surface. These references draw from the ecologies of British Columbia and create a contrast between the rigid industrial dish and the organic imagery growing across its surface. The colourful, abstract patterns suggest topographical mapping, connecting the grounded satellite structure to broader ideas of signal, landscape, and exchange.

This project was supported by an Explore and Create Grant from Canada Council for the Arts.