SECRETS OF THE BIBLEBELT

Secrets of the Biblebelt / Textile, Mixed media and paper inside / 150x200 / 2021

In the ArtEZ Illustration curriculum, there were annual opportunities to create art while traveling. The possibilities of worldwide destinations seemed endless, but I decided that adventure and other cultures could also be found close to home.

I didn’t grow up in the Biblebelt myself, but it has always been in my "backyard"; many villages around Amersfoort and Zwolle are part of this region. Having been raised in a religious household, I’ve maintained a fondness and curiosity for Christian aesthetics and customs.

When I visited the remote villages in the Biblebelt, I spent a lot of time walking through the countryside. I noticed that all the pastures together formed a kind of patchwork. I wanted to translate this idea into fabric, also because traditional textile crafts are still very much alive among the women in this region.

In the patchwork quilt, there are pockets hidden under zippers and buttons, containing my plein air sketches of the Biblebelt. This adds an interactive element, where the viewer must peel back a layer of the artwork to reveal the secrets of the Biblebelt.

Tentoonstelling Kunsthal KadE Amersfoort 2023