Museumgasten (TextielLab edition): Yamuna Forzani & Marcos Kueh

On 12 February, we'll go behind-the-scenes of Haus of fibre. During this professional edition of Museumgasten, artists, product developers and material experts come together to share their creative process, material choices and technical innovations.

Led by curator Adelheid Smit, you will explore the creative decisions and technical innovations that shape the works in the exhibition. With samples, material demonstrations and opportunities for in-depth discussion, this is the perfect chance to gain inspiration and connect with fellow professionals.

Event speakers

Photo: Tommy de Lange

Yamuna Forzani

Yamuna Forzani is an artist, designer and LGBTQIA+ activist. During her studies at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague (2012–2016), she developed her first colourful textiles in the TextielLab, rich in bold prints, digital motifs and graffiti-like tags. The outfits she creates with these materials are a vivid form of personal and queer expression, strongly influenced by the ballroom scene—a LGBTQIA+ subculture in which performance, fashion and identity merge. In her visual language, she weaves together corporeality and sexuality with 1960s psychedelia, contemporary social media culture and a conscious embrace of kitsch.

During Museumgasten Inside TextielLab, Yamuna will discuss her work within Haus of fibre, the significance of textiles in queer cultural expression, and the shift from manual techniques to industrial production processes in the TextielLab. She will also share her experiences with co-creation and her perspective as co-curator of the exhibition.

Photo: Patty van den Elshout

Marcos Kueh
Marcos Kueh is a textile artist originally from the Malaysian part of Borneo and currently based in the Netherlands. His practice revolves around capturing contemporary legends and everyday stories in textiles, inspired by the traditions of his ancestors, who passed on stories through fibres and woven patterns long before the arrival of Western writing. Marcos studied Textile Design at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK), and his work has been exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Museum Voorlinden in Wassenaar.

In this edition of Museumgasten Inside TextielLab, Marcos discusses his unique visual language, rooted in Malaysian visual traditions, and how it is perceived from a Western perspective. He delves deeper into his colour and material choices, his working process on the TC2 loom, and the added value of technical collaboration within the TextielLab.

Photo: Patty van den Elshout

Lise Brunt – Yarn specialist TextielLab
Lise is a yarn specialist at the TextielLab, the professional workshop of the TextielMuseum. Drawing on her expertise, she advises makers on the optimal material choices for their projects, weighing factors such as thickness, structure, strength, suppleness, sheen and durability—each essential for determining the right direction within a design and production process.

During the event, Lise offers an in-depth look into the world of yarns: from material technology and colour possibilities to expressive applications. She shares her role in co-creation with makers and discusses the current challenges and opportunities brought about by new material developments.

Photo: Patty van den Elshout

Mathilde Vandenbussche – Product developer TextielLab
Since 2020, Mathilde has been working as a knitting specialist in the TextielLab, where she focuses on the circular knitting and sock-knitting machines. She also teaches machine-knitting workshops at Texture Museum over Leie en Vlas in Kortrijk. Her interest lies in the technical approach to knitting: with her keen eye for distinctive stitches, she brings added depth and complexity to the projects she works on.

During Museumgasten Inside TextielLab, Mathilde highlights the technical and creative possibilities of the knitting machines in the lab. She guides the audience through the journey from idea to prototype and from prototype to final result, with special attention to the co-creation process between maker and product developer.

Host

Photo: Patty van den Elshout

Adelheid Smit
Adelheid is a curator at the TextielMuseum, specialising in contemporary art and social issues. Her work focuses on urgent themes such as gender and LGBTQIA+ equality, cultural identity, spirituality, and the influence of neoliberal structures. Textiles as a medium give her the space to make these subjects tangible, layered and accessible. With Haus of fibre, she brings these interests together in an exhibition where material, identity, and social reflection reinforce each other.

Pratical information and a tip!

When? 12 February, arrival from 14:45, programme starts at 15:00
Where? Auditory, TextielMuseum
For whom? This event is intended for professionals, makers, designers, students, and anyone interested in textiles, material research, design techniques, and co-creation
Tickets: €10 (including a drink afterwards, excluding museum admission)
Language: This edition will be entirely in English
Tip: We highly recommend visiting the Haus of fibre exhibition before the programme—it provides valuable context for the discussion

Photo: Daily Catch

After the talk, you are warmly invited to join us for a drink in the TextielCafe. The speakers and specialists will be present to continue the conversation and answer questions.

Would you like to attend the event but the ticket doesn’t fit your budget?

Don’t worry! We want as many people as possible to join. Send us an email at [email protected] and we will work with you to find a solution.