Kraag van kloskant met drie vlinders c. 1914

This lace collar with three butterflies, made by Alida Maria van Schaik, is like a drawing in space, except the lines are actually threads, built up, stitch by stitch. It’s so delicate, like something you might find in a fairy tale. I love how the texture is built up, creating areas of density and areas of open space. Think about the negative space, the holes between the threads! It's almost like a dance between what's there and what isn't. Look closely and you’ll see how the artist uses different stitches to create different effects. In the butterfly wings, she creates a kind of lacy net, but then uses denser stitches around the edges to define the shape. This kind of work reminds me of Hilma af Klint's drawings, where she’s also exploring the relationship between organic forms and geometric patterns. It’s about finding the hidden structures in nature, or maybe creating new ones. The thing about art is, it’s always a conversation.