The pattern “The Passive Sleep” was drawn by Amandah L’Narte (formerly Andersson) in 2018 as part of a visual textile story titled: “Please, don’t swipe me! Upgrade the system. Just do it.”
Rooted in Amandah’s artistic philosophy, this visual textile story reveals an imaginary world system — an artistically interpreted mirror of our own reality — where stress, acceleration, and a throwaway mentality prevail. In this world, the soul and body exist in a paradoxical state of living death; a kind of passive sleep. Like sleepwalkers, caught in a line of constantly iterated repetition.
This world system is governed by four gods: the god of Time, the god of Identity, the god of Globalization, and the god of Consumption. Long ago, these gods lived in harmony, and their interaction shaped the balance of existence. But in this new era, both the gods — and the population they oversee — have fallen asleep and forgotten the rhythm of the old world. The past has dissolved into a restless present.
“The Passive Sleep” embodies this state of numb repetition through a dreamy color palette and melting forms, yet within its threads lies a call to awaken — to break free from the false pastel world and reclaim resonance.
The Sphircles, the mystical beings inhabiting Amandah’s artistic universe, were already part of the visual storytelling in 2016, weaving this tale through textiles, performance, and music. They bore witness to this slumbering world while urging movement, presence, and reconnection. A keen ear could hear their whispers: "Now is the time for the gaze to sharpen, and the day has come to awaken once again."
Creation of individuals drop blobs in the pattern.
The almost finished original artwork. This center image was later on scanned and repeated digitally to create the full pattern.
Notes and flow-charts for the creation of the movement in the pattern.
Close up of the original painting.
The artwork for The Passive Sleep is available as 50x70 Poster, and of course as textile in both the original color way Pastel Palette, and in our new color way Vibrant Palette.