DARN too

Because some subjects require more than one exhibition, DARN is undergoing a transformation and will soon reopen its doors as DARN too. Parts of the exhibition remain the same. Its focus is still the beauty of repairing and embellishing textiles, but it now has different perspectives and new favourites. DARN too makes us consider how objects can evoke memories.

Scarcloth

Endlessly repaired handcrafted textiles are literally interwoven with personal stories.  They can evoke memories and feelings of nostalgia but can also help to put things into perspective, allowing us to move on in our lives.

Fashion designer Rianne de Witte’s Scarcloth is bursting with memories. During the DARN exhibition, the meters-long cloth was displayed in WERKPLAATS, part of the exhibition space. Guided by volunteers, some 450 visitors shared their (sometimes painful) memories and embroidered them onto the cloth as a way of healing their wounds. The impressive and poignant result, including (anonymous) stories, is featured in DARN too.

Ode to your ancestors

Graphic designer Reinier de Waal is keeping the memory of his grandfather and great-grandfather alive and paying tribute to them with a Walcheren farmer's jacket that they both wore. He has created a matching hand-embroidered protective cover that serves as a ‘soft embrace’ for the heirloom. The outfit that fashion designer Bastiaan Reijnen made from his grandfather’s army duffel bag was already shown in DARN and fits perfectly within this theme. Artist Loek Grootjans has transformed the blankets under which he was conceived and under which he made love for the first time into a bespoke three-piece suit. The Comfort Objects by textile designer Steffi Haeck allow you to enjoy a big, warm hug on your own.

Needlework filled with stories

Of course, DARN too also takes a deep dive into needlework, darning and other forms of repaired textiles. What do neat embroidery samplers and patched shirts say about the social position and future prospects of a girl in the nineteenth century? Pieces on loan from the Bevrijdingsmuseum show just how creative and resilient people can be in times of war and scarcity. A young woman risked her own life to smuggle secret messages embroidered on towels out of an internment camp in the laundry. The handbag made from empty ammunition belts is beautiful and inventive, but you see it differently when you consider how many bullets were fired to make it.

Vrederust

Vrederust, a psychiatric hospital in North Brabant with a lot of patients from Zeeland, has a fascinating history. Since the mid-20th century, it has offered extremely progressive forms of occupational therapy. DARN too features items made there in the sisal mat weaving and shoemaker’s workshops.

Come!

Come and see the result from 14 February. Entry to the museum is free that day. It's also a great Valentine’s Day destination for lovebirds!