is a kinetic textile installation that explores feminine identity through rhythm, motion, and material transformation. the work consists of a continuously moving knitted structure that expands and contracts in a slow, almost meditative pace. the knitted surface incorporates subtle suggestions of the feminine form, seamlessly woven into the pattern, a technical challenge that required careful experimentation with advanced knitting techniques using recycled monofilament yarns, giving the piece a translucent and fluid character. as the knitted structure stretches, certain shapes begin to fade and dissolve into the surrounding space, evoking the quiet and often invisible pressure to remain flexible within shifting social expectations.
the extra “o” in roooom acts as both a visual and conceptual detail. it subtly alters the rhythm of the title, elongating it, creating space, and playing with perception. this small intervention reflects how softness, presence, and adaptability are often overlooked or misread. it is a reminder of how easily we can expand and contract to fit expectations, while parts of ourselves slip out of view.
the roooom divider brings attention to the poetic tension between strength and fragility, visibility and fading. its slow mechanical breathing mirrors the emotional rhythm of adjusting, reshaping, and reclaiming space. much like a room divider, it defines boundaries but never fixes them, instead it keeps redrawing them through gentle movement and light.
commissioned by the textielmuseum and created within their research and development program, the roooom divider was realised in close dialogue with the museum’s team of textile innovators and technicians. it embodies the spirit of the program, where artistic vision meets material research. shown during the exhibition shape, the work invites viewers to slow down and reflect on transformation as an ongoing act, one that reveals the beauty of becoming, again and again.
the roooom divider was commissioned by the textielmuseum and presented in their exhibition shape – body, fashion, identity, together with lady in rug (2022).
commission
exhibition
vernissage
finissage
curator
scenography
digital
product developer
robotics
assistants
funding and support
textielmuseum
shape! - body, fashion & identity
16 november, 2024
30 march,
2025
creators and collaborators
suzan russeler
studio harm rensink
elmo mistiaen
damien semerdjian
job van dongen
dimitri wiertz
milo mccafferty
katharina spitz
karlijne opmeer
emma magermans
textielmuseum
exhibition
vernissage
finissage
curator
scenography
digital
product developer
robotics
assistants
funding and support
shape! - body, fashion & identity
16 november, 2024
30 march, 2025
creators and collaborators
suzan russeler
studio harm rensink
elmo mistiaen
damien semerdjian
job van dongen
dimitri wiertz
milo mccafferty
katharina spitz
karlijne opmeer
emma magermans
textielmuseum