14 october 2022, Flor Linckens
The anniversary edition of SOFT! at Rademakers Gallery
Until 26 November, Rademakers Gallery in Amsterdam is presenting the fifth edition of 'SOFT!', an annual group exhibition in which textile art in all its versatility takes centre stage. Because although these makers all work within the medium, their techniques and perspectives are completely different. Many of the participating artists also work at the interface of another discipline, including design or fashion.
In 'SOFT!' you will find works by several young artists, three of which are currently nominated for a Dutch Design Award: Simone Post in the Best Commissioning category and Yamuna Forzani and Antoine Peters both compete in the Fashion category.
Simone Post, Wildflowers - Brocate, 2022, Rademakers Gallery
As a textile and product designer, Simone Post has collaborated with companies like Adidas, Kvadrat and Vlisco. The final product is not the most essential part of her practice; Post is much more interested in the process that precedes it. This is expressed in extensive material research and experimentation with various techniques, in which sustainability always plays a central role. Post initially started studying fashion design, where she immediately noticed how much material is wasted in the ultra-fast fashion industry. She therefore chose to study at Design Academy Eindhoven, in which research and innovation played a much larger role.
Yamuna Forzani, Love Renaissance II, 2022, Rademakers Gallery
In the practice of activist artist Yamuna Forzani, fashion, photography, dance, installation and social design come together in an exciting way. She draws inspiration for her work from the Ballroom scene, an underground subculture that originated in New York in the 1980s, in which black and Latino people from queer communities have created a safe space in which they could express themselves in all their diversity. This involved, and continues to this day, an unbelievable level of creativity. Forzani is also part of the LGBTQ+ community herself and through her work, she is actively involved in the wider community. She hopes to broaden society's understanding of what "normal" is and is committed to the acceptance of multiple types of people and bodies — and the stories behind them. Visual codes from street art and the psychedelic aesthetics of the 1960s also play a role in Forzani's work.
Antoine Peters, Pair of Jeans, 2022, Rademakers Gallery
Antoine Peters is known for his conceptual, surreal, surprising and humorous designs in which he always plays with our presuppositions. His starting point is often an everyday object, on which he then offers a new perspective. He sees clothing as a universal visual language and because we wear clothing so close to our skin, a different, more intimate relationship arises between the viewer and the object. Peters hopes to make us look in new ways: not only at clothing, but also at the world around us. He has exhibited his work worldwide and has collaborated with brands like Moooi, United Nude, Eastpak and Gsus Sindustries.
In addition, the exhibition in Rademakers Gallery shows work by the artists Joana Schneider, Mae Engelgeer, Kiki van Eijk, Sampat Studio and Nina K. Ekman.
