(Ent)Faltungen

In “(Ent)faltungen,” Maike Jansen presents works that explore the relationship between textiles and the body. The exhibition includes both handwoven and jacquard-woven pieces, each approaching the theme in different ways. The handwoven works stand or hang in the room, forming empty, transparent shells that suggest absence and, with their tubular shape, evoke body parts such as arms or legs. Others, like the works from the “Soft Skeletons” series, are partially sewn onto wooden strips and possess a skeletal, fragile quality. They lean against the wall and consist of woven bands and loose, dangling threads. The jacquard-woven works “Stoffbild III” and “Stoffbild IV” are based on scans of leftover fabrics from the fashion industry and reveal creases, folds, and negative forms of cut-out pattern pieces—all traces left in the fabric that provide insight into previous processes and movements. As a woven image, it imitates the surface qualities of its real-world model and creates an illusion of depth. The „Faltungen" (folding) part of the exhibition title describes the movement of the textile into a three-dimensional surface. As a surface that drapes over a body, it veils and transforms it, while simultaneously being shaped by the body's movements. Folding is inherent in the soft material; it adapts and yields. „Entfaltung" (Unfolding) describes the corresponding, opposite process: the fold dissolves, opens, reveals its entire surface, and occupies space. What was previously hidden now becomes visible. These two processes—folding as well as the subsequent unfolding—are reflected in Maike Jansen's work. In the jacquard-woven pieces, creases and folds bear witness to previous movements inscribed in the fabric. They are based on the previously generated digital image of their real-world model and are thus a woven image that imitates a three-dimensional surface. The handwoven works are combinations of woven, interconnected parts and loose threads, which, depending on the arrangement of the works, are in a taut or relaxed state and thus contain both movements. In her work, Maike Jansen explores the significance of textiles for us and our bodies—both physical and psychological. As a garment, it is a covering that transforms our appearance, forming a protective space, but simultaneously concealing and rendering us invisible. How are we shaped throughout our lives, influenced by external factors, and what role do textiles play in this process? Maike Jansen investigates these questions in her work in various ways, creating both sculptural and wall-based pieces. Due to its soft, adaptable surface, our movements and gestures are left behind in the form of creases and folds, inscribed, so to speak, within the fabric. Jansen captures these traces digitally, scanning or photographing fabrics, then translating them into software for the Jacquard loom and reweaving them. Maike Jansen has exhibited her work in Germany and internationally including Haus Lange in Krefeld, Kunsthalle Lottozero in Prato, le Beffroi de Montrouge in Paris, at London Design Festival, Textile Museum in Borås and others.