Art at the VVV: Evelien Poels

The presentation consists of four works: Sunlight, Cacti, Butterfly and Symphony in Red. Together, they give a good idea of Poels' working method, which combines traditional craft techniques, sustainability and a playful use of colour.

Art as a meditative process
For Poels, art begins with the pleasure of making. Working slowly with needle and thread plays an important role.
"For me, working with textiles is almost meditative," she says. "Stitch by stitch you pull the thread through the fabric and patch by patch something new emerges. Seeing a work emerge under your hands remains something magical."

Colour and texture as eye-catchers
Characteristic of Poels' work is its strong tactile appeal. The use of different fabrics and structures gives the works a rich texture that almost invites to be touched.
In addition, the works immediately catch the eye because of their bright and contrasting colours. The interplay between colour and material gives the abstract compositions powerful and vivid eyes.

Tradition and reuse
Poels draws inspiration from both western quilting traditions and eastern textile techniques such as boro and kawandi . These age-old ways of repairing and joining fabrics form an important basis for her work.
Sustainability plays a major role. She works mainly with leftover fabrics and finds from thrift shops. "By working with leftover patches and second-hand clothes, it also feels like I can give something back to the world," says Poels.

New eye-catcher: Sunlight
The large work Sunlight is the artist's latest work and is an important part of the presentation. in it, the influences of boro and kawandi techniques are clearly visible.
In contrast, the work Cacti reflects a more traditional quilt structure, based on the versatile Potato Chip block . Together, the works show how Poels brings together different techniques and styles to create his own recognisable visual language.