Herman Wijffels | De Nieuwe Liefde

Yesterday I attended the first-year anniversary of De Nieuwe Liefde, a cultural centre for debate, reflection and connection. Keynote speaker was Herman Wijffels. After so much he has done, he is now one of the members of the sustainable finance lab. He had a clear, inspiring lecture about the need for change. The idea of how to use money, how to organise society, how to deal with natural resources, how to organise the economy; all these have to shift. From linear to circular, from pyramid to network, from greediness to subservience, from ultra-specialism to broad views. We need the so-called cultural creatives, he said: people who take their responsibility and act as part of a whole and not just for their own good. That might be a slow development, but think of the 'tipping point theory': how little things can make the change. He's a real visionair, and one of my heroes.

Elmina Moisan

This is a painting by Elmina Moisan, the Chilean painter who lived from 1887-1938. Before I went to Chile I had never heard of her before. I came across her work at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes .
Besides the wonderful work by Maria Angelica Echavari of whom I wrote earlier, the section with Chilean paintings was a true treasure. This painting 'Interior' was my favourite. The first image is my secretly made photo, the second is from the museums' website. Mix both colour schemes in your imagination and that's about the true colours standing in front of the painting...

Green

Still lives in green. For I can't wait for spring.
With great ceramics from Scorlewald, a few of my favourite books, postcards from Scottish painters, recycled glass and Farrow&Ball wall paint.

Global Citizenship

This weekend I attended the 40th anniversary conference of NCDO. Their new focus is global citizenship. The shift of development aid towards international cooperation is so clear and good.
There were mini symposiums, the battle of the cheetah's, an interesting debate and a few keynote speakers. The one who most inspired me was Juma Mwapachu; the current President of SID and former Secretary General of the East African Union. During his entertaining talk I scribbled down some keywords:
oneness (ubuntu), social justice, human dignity, the important role of women, sustainability, for the use of public goods it's important to respect ecology and human diversity, the global society is hugely integrated (f.i. IT) and plays an important role, youth can -and needs to- play an important role in building global solidarity.

(photo from sr8talkchronicle)

Elke Dag een Draadje

Today I went to see the exhibition 'Elke dag een draadje' in Verzetsmuseum in Amsterdam. The title is part of a saying hardly used these days: elke dag een draadje...is een hemdsmouw in een jaar. A thread a day is a sleeve in a year. A moving exhibition of embroidery done by emprisoned women during the Second World War. They smuggled the yarn and the needles into the prison by hiding it in the laundry which had to be done by family, and finished pieces were smuggled out in the same way. The embroidery was made on any piece of fabric. With the embroidery they first of all kept themselves busy, and it was also a way of documentation, communication and resistance. The exhibition shows some  amazing pieces. made with dedication and perseverance. Tiny handkerchiefs, edges of sheets, large pieces of cloth, pin-cushions, comb-covers etcetera. Daily routine, wishes and reassurances were written and drawn with thin yarn. Also shown were skirts made after the war. Skirts made from small pieces of fabric used during the war quilted together and embroidered with messages of joy and hope.

Knit Malawi II

The knitting is something the women have to weave through their daily life. And being a head of household, wife, farmer and mother that's a real challenge!

Knit Malawi I

I'm preparing my next visit to Malawi this spring. The knitting project will be continued. I''l be working with them to develop techniques, sustain the work by creating a studio/atelier/shop for them, investigate local business opportunities and while doing so empower them. The idea is to support them for 3 years to help them becoming more independent and to be able to gain some extra family income. Most people in Malawi are farmers, and also the people in these villages. I'm looking forward to it very much. And they are looking forward to it as well. The project proposal is now being discussed with the women, village headmen/-women and chiefs involved. A project only makes sense if it's endorsed by the local people.
So far they've enjoyed the craftwork very much, they've even worked on a hand sewing machine that I brought. Their work is mainly used in their own family. But some women do have their own small business with knitting assignments. So we'll be intensifying the process together.

Aran Islands IV

One of the best visual impressions made about the Aran Islands is the book The Aran Islands by Bill Doyle. He was there in the 1970's, and documented life, crafts, economy and culture. It's one of my favourite books to draw inspiration from. The images are all in black-and-white, and that suits the atmosphere really well. The endless walls made of stones, the skies. The green of the fields is a huge contrast when you walk around on the islands. It's a modern society of course, but curraghs, the small boats, are still hand-made these days. And women still knit and sell their work.
So recently I came across a small company called Inis Meain. A lovely collection of local knitting. Their work reflects what I've written before; even in these contemporary days the feel of craft and tradition is still vivid. And inspiring.