Hanne Sønnichsen. Cairperson, Danish Craftsmen and Designers. Foto: Privat

Kunst Centret Silkeborg Bad. Foto: Privat

Kunst Centret Silkeborg Bad. Foto: Privat

Read the opening speech of ARTTAPESTY7 at Silkeborg Bad, delivered by Hanne Sønnichsen.

Thank you very much for the invitation to open today,

- allow me to take a personal angle on the task.

European Tapestry Forum.

It struck me that the three words in your name say a lot about what interests me the most.

European:

In an increasingly divided time, where border fences are sprouting in too many places, it is important to strengthen the international. We focus so much on everything that separates us - instead of what binds us together. I often think this is due to a fear of, and therefore a lack of knowledge of, the unknown. That's why it's important to celebrate you and others who take up the challenge: to meet and enrich each other across borders.

Art is an obvious facilitator for these meetings - art and culture know no national borders, but often connect across them - and despite them.

Curiosity about the different is the first prerequisite for meetings where we can exchange experiences, views and knowledge and thus be enriched. The European Tapestry Forum has promoted the international mindset both in the form of exhibitions and master classes. Openness to what can take us further - this is desirable in all contexts.

At Danish Arts & Crafts and Designers we are concerned that traditions, knowledge and craftsmanship are carried on. That we have the opportunity to pass on to new generations - and to build bridges between generations so that we can all grow. I know from international meetings that this is an issue in many countries - we will have a greater impact both nationally and internationally if we understand how to work together. We can learn from the experiences of others, both those that went well and those that we should not repeat.

Tapestry:

A woven textile, an art form, an opportunity to create moods, express personality and transform our surroundings. Maybe even with a political message. Throughout history, the function and meaning of tapestries has evolved, but the basic idea of decorating walls and spaces to convey aesthetics and culture has always existed.

Woven images and decorations are for me one of the very best in the textile field. Works that represent patient work with composition, technique and material - works where every single thread is carefully selected in terms of the fiber it's spun from, the color it's applied and the technique it's woven with - nothing is left to chance. The results are often monumental works that leave a lasting impression on the viewer.

Textiles have an extra dimension - the tactile. The structure - the material, the technique - is of great importance, whether the finished expression is soft and fluid or sharp and hard, for example. The tactile is a tool - even if we can only touch with our eyes.

The works reflect something that is increasingly in demand in the modern world - the calm, slow, patient and persistent work, where even the smallest detail has an impact on the final expression. Selecting the idea worthy of such an extensive process and composing with all the necessary elements is the skill and knowledge required to achieve the sublime. We zap around at lightning speed in modern daily life and are therefore fascinated by those of you who can do the accomplished.

In the exhibition we will see both the more traditional version of tapestry and also examples of the new versions of textile images - all of which is contemporary textile art. The range is vast - figurative, abstract, fragmented, the deconstructed, the familiar and the new forms, the monochrome and the colorful - traditional and modern techniques - everything is a compelling display of the greatness and skill of the field.

Forum

means a place where an exchange can take place. I would like to add - with reference to what I said at the beginning - a place where development can take place.

It is necessary to frame a common interest and a common goal - you have done this with the European Tapestry Forum.

For the 5th time, Silkeborg Bad provides the most beautiful setting for Artapestry. Textile art is otherwise homeless in Denmark, we do not have a fixed address where we can always experience textile art. Right now, good forces are working to create such a place, an exhibition space for textiles and a home for a collection of recent textile art. This exhibition is a beautiful example of the need to approach textile art in a more permanent form.

The textile field doesn't always count in the big artistic contexts - this is of course completely wrong. Perhaps the explanation lies in the fact that we are literally surrounded by textiles from birth to death - it's an everyday thing. The word textile covers everything from the tea towel to these breathtaking weaves. We know the mundane, but not everyone is familiar with the grandiose. These days, however, we are seeing many examples of other art genres wanting to translate their own works into fabric, which we hope will increase interest and insight into what you represent - artworks where textile techniques are not just a form of expression, but a demanding artistic practice and a trained craft.

Museums and galleries both nationally and internationally are putting textiles at the forefront these years. In several contexts, audience-engaging events are organized with textile focal points, and even my local art museum in Tønder is in the process of constructing a large communal loom - something I would not have imagined just a few years ago. I allow myself to conclude that the future of textiles is brighter than it has been for a long time.

Thank you to those of you who, years ago, saw the need and opportunity to come together in a forum around European Tapestry and have since worked tirelessly on the project. You cannot be praised enough!

Congratulations on Artapestry 7 - which is now open. Have a great time!