Hoed bedekt met hanenveren in tulbandvorm c. 1960 - 1965

This small turban hat is covered with brown and blue-green rooster feathers and was made by Han de Vries. Imagine the artist selecting and arranging each feather, carefully layering them to create this compact, round form. It reminds me of the way painters build up layers of color and texture on a canvas. Each feather, like each brushstroke, is a deliberate act, contributing to the overall composition. I am reminded of artists like Meret Oppenheim, who worked with everyday materials to create surreal and unexpected juxtapositions. Perhaps de Vries was similarly interested in transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary, maybe even a little humorous? The iridescent feathers, arranged in a circular pattern, almost seem to ripple and move before your eyes. It’s as if they are engaged in a constant dialogue with one another. And, just as a painter might step back from their canvas to assess their progress, I wonder if de Vries did the same, turning the hat this way and that, ensuring that each feather was perfectly placed.