Besides an impressive array of machinery, we have an even more impressive team of textile specialists. Look around to see which of our specialists can help you during your working period in the TextielLab.
Elian Beeker, technical specialist passementerie techniques
Elian Beeker trained as a spatial designer at the Willem de Kooning Academy and the Design Academy Eindhoven. In addition to her role in the passementerie department, she also works on her own projects. In her studio, she transforms discarded fishing nets into colourful interior products. She is also looking at ways to promote cohabitation with insects, an essential part of our ecosystem, by redesigning building facades. Elian is a true maker with a feel for traditional techniques. Since graduating, she has been developing other artists’ product designs. She has brought this skill to her favourite museum, quickly picking up cord twisting, gimping, round braiding, band weaving and knotting. She sees mastering the historical passementerie machines as a challenge. She aims to bring more balance to the lab’s ecosystem by using and reusing sustainable materials.
Karen Zeedijk, tufting and passementerie specialist
Karen is multitalented when it comes to crafts. She trained as a furniture maker, then worked for five years as a glass artist specialising in stained glass. In 2004, she joined the TextielLab as a tufting specialist, making hand-tufted works in collaboration with professional makers. In 2012, she expanded her expertise to include passementerie techniques. Karen uses her broad experience to effortlessly translate a maker’s ideas into unique works, without losing sight of the maker’s distinct signature. She is also able to come up with creative solutions within the limits of a technique that serve the design. Karen collaborated with well-known artists such as Robert Zandvliet and Otobong Nkanga. Another good example is her collaboration with fashion designer Jan Taminiau. For his first couture show in Paris, Karen developed a refined tufted dress, a remarkable achievement given that tufting is generally used only for heavy rugs.
