Henrike Gootjes
Regeneration Strategist, Artist - Educator
Welcome at the DDW
We are presenting Linen as Regnerative Fabric of our Bioregion at NoOF!
As you know I have been a passionate Linnen-Steward, (initiated by the Linnenproject) in the last few years. Growing our own local flax with a group op fellow linnenstewards. This week you an find me at the Dutch Design Week in EIndhoven for a two day pop-up presentation.
The flax plant grows without the need for irrigation, pesticides or fertilisers. It stores CO2, enriches biodiversity, improves soil health and contains the fibres for making a long-lasting textile: linen. The negative impact of fossil-based clothing is evident in many areas. Flax cultivation and linen production offer an opportunity for change towards a more regenerative and innovative future of textiles.
New Order of Fashion invited The Linen Project members, Anna Wetzel, a design-researcher specialising in spinning flax and Henrike Gootjes, a regenerative strategist and Linen Steward, to organise a pop-up exhibition. It showcases the various stages of flax from seed to linen garments. A major challenge lies in spinning the yarn, which depending on the purpose and scale, can be done by hand or machine. Spinning flax on the open-source spinning machine HILO could be part of solving the problem. Within The Linen Stewards, craftsmanship and innovation is vibrantly present and continually emerging, resulting in future-proof garments that can be cherished for a long time and eventually return to the earth to nourish the next generation of flax plants.
The Pop-Up presentation is at the New Order of Fashion, Torenallee 22
Monday 23 and tuesday 24 from 11.00-18.00 h.
More about The Linen Project:
The Linen Project strives to reinvigorate local flax cultivation and linen production in the Netherlands through various initiatives. With the Linen Kavels (Dutch for linen plots), The Linen Project brings together partners on the industrial scale to weave locally grown flax into local linen. The ‘Linen Stewards’ is a group of self-organised individuals, collectively tending to a flax field, following the path of turning linseed into linen. Looking ahead, The Linen Project is establishing a new initiative: “Grow-Your-Own 1m²” of flax, in order to foster a deep connection to this regenerative, sustainable and local textile.
Past expos and events (not recently updated)
2019 Sept. Letvia, Embodied change. Erasmus.
2019 Oct. InSEA conference, Valletta, Malta
2019 Oct. Creative Arts Therapies Society Malta,
2019 Oct. University of Malta, Msida, Malta
2019 Nov. Event, LWF act alliance, Amman, Jorda
2019. ArtEZ, Graduation show, Arnhem, NL
2019 Event, 'Soft Borders', Arnhem. NL
2019 WAKE festival, Black Box, Belfast, Noord Ierland
2019. 'Hamam echos' Queens Collective, Marrakesh, Maroc
2018 Artist in Residency expo, Maison Emma, Saint Mathieu de Treveirs, France
2017 Festival Binnengasthuis, Zwolle, NL
2017 Group Expo, Le Dome, Port Vendres, France
2016 Sound of Silence (group), Noorderzon, Groningen, NL
2016 Solo art expo, Chateau Peuch-Haut, Saint Drezery, France
2016 Group expo and art-performance, Michealskerk, Zwolle,NL
2016 Solo art expo, Domaine de Massane, Baillargues, France
2016 ‘Table of Thanks’ Gallery Triptique, Montpellier, France
2015 ‘de geredde drenkeling’ solo expo, Museum Trompshuys, Vlieland, NL
2014 ‘You are beautiful’ bij Fier Frysland, Vrouwenopvang, Leeuwarden, NL
2013 ‘Hope’ Sculptuur, ZOA vluchtelingenwerk, Apeldoorn, NL
2012 ‘Oh, my sweet sailor’, Projectkunstenaar Kunstmaand Ameland, Ameland. NL
2011 Kerst Belevingstocht Heechterp Schieringen. Leeuwarden, NL
2011 ‘Licht, liefde en vreugd’ with Marjan Beuker for LOF, Leeuwarden , NL
2011. ‘Pracht in de gracht’ commisioned by Gemeente Leeuwarden, NL