Shades of Walnut 2023

Claudy Jongstra

TextileShellWoolSilkSeeds
100 ⨯ 150 ⨯ 4 cm
ConditionExcellent
Price on request

Villa del Arte Galleries

• About the artwork
  "Shades of Walnut" is entirely hand-made with local produce from The Netherlands, carefully chosen by Claudy Jongstra. She uses Drenth Heath wool, raw silks, organic merino wool, silk organza. Naturally dyed in local well water with walnut shell, onion skin, madder root, rhubarb, walnut
  The Dutch artist and activist, Claudy Jongstra is known worldwide for her monumental artworks and architectural installations, whose organic surfaces and nuanced tones reflect her masterful innovations in the ancient technique of making wool felt.
  In 2001, Jongstra established her studio in the rural North of The Netherlands, where she began a sweeping ecological experiment in the local landscape. The basis of Jongstra’s pieces, wool, comes from her own flock of rare, indigenous Drenthe Heath sheep (the oldest breed in Northern Europe). In her specialised dyers’ botanical garden, the flowers and plants provide natural dyes whilst simultaneously fighting the local loss of biodiversity. This completely sustainable chain culminates in her artworks.
  As Jongstra’s artistic practice expands, so too does the impact on her region. Collaborating with local farms, schools, and social programs, and drawing on a deep respect for the interwoven narratives of people, land, and tacit knowledge, Jongstra actively reimagines and revitalises the local landscape from monocultural production toward a more diverse, inclusive, and ecologically-just model.
  Jongstra’s oeuvre, often installed in large public spaces, is included in private and corporate collections as well as several international museums and institutions such as the MoMA in New York and San Francisco, the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Netherlands’ De Lakenhal in Leiden and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
  
• About the artist

  Claudy Jongstra (1963) is a Dutch artist and textile designer, internationally known for her impressive and sustainable works that bring together art, craft and ecology. She was born in Roermond and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Utrecht. In the 1990s, she started her career as a textile designer, working with leading fashion designers such as Christian Lacroix and John Galliano.

  Jongstra is best known for her unique tapestries and artworks, in which she uses hand-felted wool and natural dyes. Her works are characterized by an organic aesthetic, rich textures and a deep connection with nature. She uses materials such as wool from old sheep breeds and dyes from plants that she grows herself on her farm in Friesland. Her work is not only artistic but also socially engaged, with a strong focus on sustainability and the preservation of traditional crafts.

  Among her best-known projects is the carpet for the WTC One in New York and her contribution to the renovation of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where she created a monumental artwork. Her work is exhibited worldwide and is part of collections at prestigious museums such as the MoMA in New York and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

  In addition to her artistic practice, Jongstra is an advocate for biodiversity and ecological regeneration. She has her own biodynamic farm and works with local communities and farmers to promote natural processes and sustainable production. Her work and philosophy have made her an influential figure at the intersection of art, design and sustainability.

  Claudy Jongstra continues to inspire artists and activists alike, and her work calls for a renewed appreciation of nature and craftsmanship in contemporary society.

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