Justine Van Impe
Textile sculptor
Liège, Belgium
Textile as an invitation to contemplation
- Justine creates textile sculptures with wool and other fibres
- The forms and textures of her works speak directly to the senses
- Her works are an invitation to contemplation on the beauty found in nature
Through her tactile artworks, Justine Van Impe seeks to evoke a sense of serenity in viewers. She makes pom-pom sculptures which are inspired by topiary, the art of sculpting living plants through clipping, as well as other tapestry-like sculptures. “I sometimes feel like a ‘textile hairdresser’ as sizing, cutting, shaping and brushing are all integral parts of my practice,” says Justine. Working across all kinds of fibres, from animal furs and wool to plants and grasses, she embraces the complexity and slowness of her craft. "Creating this art is a political choice, as it goes completely against our consumerist ways," she explains. “What I enjoy most of all is sculpting my own fibre masses. It is painstaking work, but extremely satisfying when the shapes emerge.”
INTERVIEW
My latest series, Souffle. I had long been seeking to translate into textiles the emotions evoked by the dandelion in its pappus form, the white puffball. My aim was not to imitate nature, but to express a visual sensation derived from living elements. The dandelion fascinates me because of its sophistication and its extremely ephemeral and fragile, almost untouchable nature.
Yes as I draw my inspiration from plant and animal forms in nature. Instead of jumping from one visual stimulus to the next through the daily consumption of vast quantities of images, I prefer to explore intricate details in nature with love. Such attentive observation opens up a world of forms full of indescribable joy and leads me down paths of unexpected reflection. With my own work, I hope to stimulate similar contemplation in others.
Increasingly so. It has gradually become obvious to me that I must use local, ethical and even traceable materials. I now work almost exclusively with wool from French sheep sourced through an ethical wool supply chain. I can no longer envisage creating without considering the origin of my materials, the animal suffering associated with this industry or the impact of chemical dyeing on the environment.
First and foremost, the time it takes to make them. The way my bundles of thread hold together, too: how they are made is very enigmatic to most people because you cannot see the inside. That is why many tend to stick their fingers in them. It seems to be irresistible!
Justine Van Impe
Textile sculptor
Liège, Belgium
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Liège, Belgium
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
French, English
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