Amsterdam Museum hosts ‘Continue This Thread’ handicraft exhibition

The Amsterdam Museum is showing a new exhibition entitled “Continue This Thread” from February. Focused on craftsmanship, it was developed by guest designers Tess van Zalinge and Karim Adduchi in collaboration with Amsterdam Museum of Fashion and Pop Culture curator Roberto Luis Martins, according to a press release.

The exhibition consists of over a hundred textile objects that show the “power of handicraft”. “Continue This Thread” combines historical objects from the Amsterdam Museum’s collection with designs by Adduchi and Van Zalinge. Both designers are known for their designs inspired by historical and regional craft techniques. In addition, the exhibition will feature works from various Amsterdam manufacturers who use craft techniques in innovative ways.

Handicrafts include embroidery, patchwork and knitting, lace making and darning. “In our work, we have experienced for ourselves that the practice of a craft connects people, can express an (activist) message and has a healing effect,” Adduchi said in the press release. “We want to convey this to the public in the exhibition. We want to use it to convey refreshing perspectives on handicrafts to different target groups of all ages and encourage visitors to (re)discover and use handicraft techniques.”

The exhibition “Continue This Thread. Karim Adduchi x Tess van Zalinge” can be seen from February 17 to September 3, 2023 in the Amsterdam Museum at Amstel 51.

Craftsmanship is the focus of the new exhibition Continue This Thread at the Amsterdam Museum. Image: Amsterdam Museum, Francoise Bolechowski
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Craftsmanship is the focus of the new exhibition Continue This Thread at the Amsterdam Museum. Image: Amsterdam Museum, Francoise Bolechowski

Amsterdam-based fashion designers Adduchi and van Zalinge have made a name for themselves in recent years with designs inspired by historical and regional craft techniques, but also with sustainable creations, such as dresses made entirely of Moroccan embroidery appliqués, and patchwork couture made from upcycled designer fabrics, as well as sustainable collections like ‘Natuurlijk’ (Van Zalinge 2022) and community projects like Social [Distancing] Cloth.

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Designer Tess van Zalinge. Image: Amsterdam Museum, Jaimy Gail
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Designer Karim Adduchi. Image: Amsterdam Museum, Jaimy Gail

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.nl. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.

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