Magdalena Abakanowicz

‘For me, the rope is like a solidified organism, like a muscle without activity,’ said Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930-2017), who was one of the first to place the traditional tapestry in space as a three-dimensional object and elevate it to a monumental work of art. As part of the Abakanowicz triptych, the TextielMuseum tells the story of the artist as a pioneer of textile art.

In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Abakanowicz was internationally known and loved. She was one of the first artists to place the traditional tapestry, which was experiencing a renaissance in the 1950s and 1960s, detached from the wall as a three-dimensional object in space. Abstract monumental forms – often metres high – emerged that were so innovative that there was not yet a good description for them. They were named after the artist; ‘Abakans’. Abakanowicz created installation art at a time when it did not yet exist. With her impressive and versatile work, she dramatically changed the course of modern and contemporary art. It is high time to re-introduce the Dutch public to the work of this fantastic artist. ‘Because we are designing this triptych together, it becomes possible to show Magdalena Abakanowicz’s great work in its entirety and also approach it from different perspectives,’ said Jochem Otten, director of the TextielMuseum.

Cover Image: Magdalena Abakanowicz – Everything is made of fibre Foundation Toms Pauli Lausanne (Donation of Pierre and Marguerite Magnenat) Foto: Arnaud Conne