Vingerdoek van linnendamast met motief Naaldenveld, dessin 607 c. 1900 - 1925

This linen damask napkin with a ‘Naaldenveld’ or ‘Needle field’ motif was created by Chris Lebeau. I imagine Lebeau sitting at his loom, and considering each thread he is laying down: a field of possibilities emerging slowly, one pass at a time, maybe he was even singing to himself. The all-over pattern is so subtle, but up close you see the dense composition of the weaving and repeated motifs. When I look at this textile I feel a sense of wonder. I think about the artist and his practice, and the many hours of work that went into designing and producing this functional yet decorative object. This kind of work relates to others who consider craft a fine art, and blur the boundaries between design and art, inspiring new creative approaches.