Marjolein Dallinga was born in Holland, and is currently based in Canada where she dedicated herself to art, specifically drawing and painting. In 1989, she pursued her career making art books and jewelry. Dallinga gradually switched from painting and became interested in working with wool, specializing in felting.
Her sensitivity for color and forms put into the felt-making technique, pushed her to create magnificent theatrical pieces for Cirque du Soleil with unlimited freedom. Dallinga mentioned that it was an amazing experience working for the circus and had a special impact on her not only as an artist but also as a person. She directly became attached to this medium, as it helped her express herself same as she used to previously in her paintings.
I had the chance to attend Marjolein Dallinga’s press conference for the opening of her exhibition “Il Giardino delle Delizie” in Museo del Tessuto in Prato. In her first solo exhibition in Italy, the felt-maker presented her work at the museum as an expression of her subconscious, reflecting her entrancing connection with the natural world. Whimsical installations set up inside the exhibition halls to blend in with the outstanding context of the museum including fabrics and antique machinery. Suspended or in search of land, these dreamy installations took form of soft and elongated surreal creatures, changing colors to create never-ending refinements that recalls natural phenomena.
When asked about the technique she used in her exhibited art pieces at the museum, the artist claimed that after working with several mediums in art, she found hers which is felt making. It’s all about connection and metamorphosis, the material helps creating abstract forms that are transformed to different shapes in one piece. Marjolein stresses on her particular relationship with the wool medium saying: “It’s an honest material that gives you exactly how you treat it, just like us humans. If you treat it hard, it looks beaten up and the opposite works.”
Describing her work for the museum, Marjolein talked about her source of inspiration. She declared that the result of her work comes from different thoughts and feelings hidden inside but also from outside referring to the surrounding nature, thus the name of the exhibition. The felt maker expresses herself and reach out for things that can’t be said through her work, without shocking the audience which is far away from Dallinga’s personality. Why did the most important museum of textile chose Marjolein Dallinga to exhibit her for their 40th anniversary? Simply, because the artist linked textile to art in a marvelous way using a unique technique and medium hence emphasizing the strong relationship between these two worlds.
I was very impressed by Marjolein Dallinga’s admirable installations specially the piece hanged at the entrance which represents a tunnel of communication. It’s really fascinating how this material communicate messages allowing each piece to tell a different story. This unlimited creativity through these artworks puts us in question: How far will Marjolein Dallinga navigate us through her work and this particular medium?
Communication represented by Majolein Dallinga: my favorite piece of the exhibition.
Fashion by M 