Interview ESTHER DORHOUT MEES

Designing for Tommy Hilfiger, Bruuns Bazaar and Eksempel have shaped her career. Fashion designer Esther Dorhout Mees, a graduate from ArtEZ, is a promising new name in Dutch fashion. Before building up her own fashion label DORHOUT MEES, she presented her work at New York fashion week and Kopenhagen fashion week. Her intriguing work is exposed at Oude Kerk.

Why did you join SALON/KANT?

I always thought that SALON/ was great initiative. I am very happy to participate this time. I have great interest in the process and development of a work of art. I like to demonstrate how things are made.

What did you make for  SALON/KANT?

I created two dresses which hang from the ceiling in a little room at Oude Kerk. I only used Gutterman yarn to make the dresses. On the wall hangs a screen showing my film 'Unfolding'. 

How do you feel about kant (lace)?
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about lace is nostalgia. Old times where women were decent and did what they were told. I also think about my dress when I was baptized, it had a tail of 2 meters. I realized that lace is all about connection. Connecting pieces of thread together.

By Martino Bidotti

DORHOUT MEES | 'Unfolding' from Dorhout Mees on Vimeo.

Interview ROBIN KOLLEMAN

Robin Kolleman graduated from the Academie van Beeldende Kunsten Rotterdam in 1988 specialized in sculpture and mixed media. After her time at the academy she has worked as a curator for the Erasmus gallery in Rotterdam. She is more than happy to be exhibiting as part of the SALON/KANT event. Her work is demonstrated in the beautiful Oude Kerk. “I really like and appreciate the set up of SALON/, with its different art disciplines showcased at unexpected location. I’m very happy to exhibit at the Oude Kerk.”

How did you get involved with SALON/KANT?

A friend of mine asked me to send pictures to her to transfer to Gijs Stork. She thought it would really fit with the concept.

What’s your connection with kant (lace)?

It’s not lace in general; I’m more connected with textile.

What do you exhibit at SALON/KANT?

Two works, one is ‘Epos 1, an ode to daily life’. It is a complex work of art build up out of four parts: an old Dutch blanket case, an old wooden iron board, on top of that a mannequin doll dressed in a short wedding dress with a lace under skirt on ice skates with a blind fold shaped as an African veil. On the head of the doll, supported by one of her hands, there is a coffin attached which is made out of a knitted bedspread. From lace.

All parts are white, accept the skin tone of the doll and long skin lace gloves. I waxed the iron board to give it a more icy feeling.

What has been your process?

The beginning has been a test of finding stuff of Internet. I had to find the right parts to begin with. They are all second hand. After finding them the technical part started. How do I fix the parts together with maintaining the balance? Making the coffin, altering and stiffening the dress, moulding the blindfold, making the lace gloves: all part of the technical process. I found it very exciting when I had to put it all together; would it fit and stay put without using a safety thread?

What’s the connection between the work and lace?

Lace means transparency, for me. It comes back in different ways. In the under skirt, the lace gloves and of course the coffin. I use transparency to give my work a sense of light. Death is always there, but it doesn’t have to be heavy.

By Martino Bidotti

Interview FEMKE VAN GEMERT

She has worked close with Lidewij Edelkoort and has been a part of the extended family of artists of SALON/ for almost two years. Femke van Gemert revalidates lace like no one else. Green, sustainable, serious and decorative are just a few of the comments on her black and white installation at the Oude Kerk.

After her time at the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht (HKU), she graduated in 1993, she took her belongings and left for Paris. Following her dream of becoming an artist, she started developing prints for the world-renowned trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort. A prestigious job for a graduate. She stayed for four months researching inspirational images and making prints to eventually becoming a trend forecaster at the Bijenkorf for twelve years. Nowadays she focuses on sight specific projects and has years of experience as an art teacher.

What did you make for SALON/KANT?

From old lace I have made an installation. It is all used and lived and that makes it much more interesting for me to use. I have a lot of old pieces from the Amsterdam Museum, which were used in the repair studio they altered and fixed the costumes in. The wee bits were sometimes broken, white or beige. I washed it first and hanged it outside to dry. Looking from a distance to the clothesline I got the inspiration. For me it was like a line of stories. As the parts came from different costumes they represented the outfits of a variety of characters. Like a bride, a catholic and there was also some underwear.

What else did you see?

I also saw different associations. White is lovely and virgin, whereas black is sex and thrilling. Because of these associations I choose to make two colours. Black and white. I let it remain in the purest form. I just died in black and white and hanged it in a wooden frame for people to have their own association experience with.

By Martino Bidotti

NOTE:

Femke van Gemert’ work 'Dreaming' is exhibited at Oude Kerk, Oudekerksplein 23.

Interview: JEF MONTES

Jef Montes graduated in 2012 with honors from ArtEZ as a bachelor in fashion design. He considers his time as an intern at Dutch fashion label Klavers van Engelen as a highlight of his time at the academy. Unfortunately the design duo, famous for their intriguing fashion ideas, had to bring an end to their fashion label right after Montes left. "I saw for myself how difficult it can be and what it takes to stay afloat in this business. But I'm still just getting started and full of ambition.”

You are participating in SALON/KANT.

Manon Schaap asked me to be part of SALON/KANT. I am very pleased to have been asked to join as I think the last editions of SALON/KANT were very inspiring. The participants in the past were very interesting, I’m happy to be a part of it now myself.

Why are you participating?

SALON/ is a great platform for talents from all disciplines. Amsterdam is a great city to present your work as a young artist. SALON/ offers a great choice of locations.

What's your personal connection of kant (lace)?

I had a lace-period, literally, at the academy. I got dressed up in lace pieces. I liked to go to Paris and stroll down flee markets and pick up beautiful second hand lace. There was plenty of it. It’s fun to do something experimental with lace.

What are you exhibiting at SALON/KANT?

I am presenting a showpiece from my collection ‘Encarnación’. I made it a year after developing my graduation collection because I felt I didn’t finish telling that story. Using Encarnación I exposed the back side (achterkant) of my collection. All prototypes of the first collection were developed into a new one. It's about transparency, different textures and craftsmanship.

What are those lit up crosses on the piece?

I bought a priests jacket in Spain once and I discovered a bunch of handmade embroidered crossed buttons in it. I had to break them in order to examen the way they were made. The buttons inspired me to make futuristic charms, I thought it was interesting to embroider the charm half open. The lower part of the embroidery, which makes it stay put, in this showpiece is a acrylate pattern. I designed it myself. The patterns were milled 120 times and embroidered by hand, piece by piece. When I finish the whole collection I would like to exhibit it in a dark room and hang a black light that will lit up all the white parts of the charms. You would enter the room thinking that the some embroidery is lighting up, but when you get closer and your eyes are used to the dark, you will see they frame a transparent plastic garment.

What are you doing at the moment?

I am really busy with designing my new collection “Illuminosa’. For this collection I was inspired by my Spanish grandfather Gabriel. My grandpa was an artisan, he made very small ships, model ships. As a child I had a fascination for his ritual when offering them as a present to friends and family. Everyone in the family has one now. I am taking the patterns of the sails of the ships and develop them into contemporary coatdresses. The rest will remain a surprise.

What would you like to achieve, career wise?
I would love to combine my own label with working at a fashion house.”

By Martino Bidotti

NOTE:

Jef Montes is on display in the attic of Ons’ LieveHeer op Solder, Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40.