Anett Schuster 

My works are made of different materials. Related to my textile lace works are the mainly used materials polypropylene, sisal, hemp, but also wool or recycled materials such as paper / cardboard, cable, textile scraps but also metal, wood, plants can find their way into the works

Q&A

Artist Statement

Anett Schuster’s structure- and detail-loving free artistic ink works, from fine to gossamer, are in direct exchange with her large-scale bobbin lace works. The traditional classical technique of bobbin lace on a bobbin lace bag and with bobbin lace letter she was already closely associated since childhood. Now she creates free and large-scale works and found in them her own form of expression and technique. The artistic weavings with robust material, both in nature or in other unusual places, open up new worlds and give the supposedly antiquated craft a new raison d’être. A new era of bobbin lace, eclecticism in bobbin lace is taking hold. (Kathi Halama – curator)

What craft do you work with? 

Bobbin lace is an ancient handicraft art for lace making, especially in the Erzgebirge. Beyond the original technique, I replace wooden bobbins and the lace bag with yarn balls and large mats. In addition, I do not work according to predefined bobbin lace letters but work out the patterns while working and take as the only orientation the uniform small-checkered pattern of the cover fabric of the mats. I experiment with alternative materials and work in a much larger format than the classic form. Materials from agriculture and gardening, leftovers from needlework and household or waste from packaging find their way into my lace. The finished lace is used as an interior object such as a table runner or a wall hanging. I myself stage them preferably in a dialogue with unusual places.

What inspires you to work with this craft? 

Wash day
Laundry was used to be washed by hand by the river or in large wooden vats. Afterwards, it was exposed to the wind and sun in the open air to dry. As a reminiscence of this laborious work, 7 handmade bobbin lace towels were created, similar to each other, but each unique in its own way. Slightly deformed before being ironed smooth. Long threads are a reminder that textiles were often used in the past until they wore out. Used materials are polypropylene, old discarded clothesline, as well as hemp and wool scraps and a discarded garden table.

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

This table runner is based on the colours of classic linen table runners with bobbin lace inserts. While the old-fashioned optical proportion with the color white and its uniformity is due to artificial modern polypropylene, the natural proportion of hemp yarn leads to irregularity, which was previously avoided as much as possible. As a whole, this contradiction leads to a simultaneously old-fashioned modern and uniform look.

 

Media & Contact

References

Website: Anett Schuster

Instagram:  @anett_schuster

LinkedIn: Anett Schuster | LinkedIn

 

Location

Germany