Pascale Theron
Weaver
Eindhoven, Netherlands
New forms for forgotten feathers
- Pascale weaves ostrich feathers to craft innovative forms of textile art
- Her technique is a celebration of past traditions in feather use
- She is inspired by the resilience of South Africa's ostrich farmers
With her unique feathered fabric technique, Pascale Theron restores value to a largely forgotten material. “Ostrich feathers were once among the world’s most coveted luxury materials. My practice is about bringing them back as something genuinely useful and relevant today,” she says. Pascale weaves them into delicate fabrics from which she creates visually arresting and functional textile art. Originally from South Africa, her interest in working with ostrich feathers began when she immersed herself in the life of the country's ostrich farmers. Pascale's practice centres on a South African community in a town called Oudtshoorn that built its identity around the ostrich feather industry over 150 years ago. From her studio in Eindhoven, she creates pieces that are exhibited across the Netherlands and Europe.
INTERVIEW
I do not know of any other artists who have used ostrich feathers as a primary material to weave new textiles. Until now, ostrich feathers have been largely confined to surface decoration, being applied onto fabric but never truly integrated into it. That distinction is at the heart of what makes my practice different.
My pieces resist easy categorisation, which makes the pracice more interesting. It is functional enough to be design, handmade enough to be craft, and conceptual enough to be art. It touches on conversations about environmental responsibility and artisan-led slow fashion, without being defined solely by them.
Animal activist campaigns against ostrich farming put significant pressure on the farmers I work with. As my practice depends on their feathers, their struggle is my struggle, too. Additionally, I am the only person I know who practises this craft, so it could be lost entirely if I do not pass on the techniques.
I keep the materials natural and the sourcing local. My work is rooted in a respect for the natural world. I mostly use ostrich feathers in their natural, undyed state to avoid the environmental impact of dyeing and embrace their raw beauty.
Pascale Theron
Weaver
Eindhoven, Netherlands
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Eindhoven, Netherlands
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
Dutch, English, Afrikaans
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