Woven Secrets Exhibiton by Razvan Zamfira

"Woven Secrets," part of the Design Signals program, investigates the evolution of Romania’s textile industry through a multidisciplinary exhibition that uses data visualization as a core tool to examine its historical and contemporary dynamics. The data visualization component consists of three elements: animated panels, a set of 84 apparel-inspired textile labels, and a geographical map.
The animated panels visually narrate the industry’s transformation across four distinct periods, focusing on key variables such as product complexity, competitiveness, global export share, and economic growth. These animations allow visitors to track how Romania’s textile sector adapted to global economic shifts, revealing patterns like the rise of product complexity post-1990 and the stabilization of competitiveness in recent years.
The installation features 84 labels printed on textiles, inspired by apparel tags. Each label represents a Romanian textile product and ranks its competitiveness, complexity, and market share as good, average, or poor. For example, silkworm cocoons rank low in all metrics, while other products highlight the industry’s evolution toward greater sophistication. These labels are arranged like a curtain, encouraging visitors to physically interact with the data and connect it to personal and collective narratives.
The map provides a spatial dimension to the data, visualizing the geographic distribution of profitability, employment, and foreign investment in Romania’s textile industry. Rather than adhering to traditional boundaries, the map highlights economic proximity and performance, offering insights into regional disparities.
Together, these data visualizations transform abstract statistics into accessible, interactive narratives. They invite visitors to explore Romania’s textile legacy, blending storytelling with visual analysis. By focusing on design as a tool for inquiry, "Woven Secrets" demonstrates how data visualization can bridge technical information and public engagement, creating a nuanced understanding of the industry’s role in Romania’s economy and culture.