All photos except last one: © MoMu Antwerp, Photo: Stany Dederen
Dear Shaded Viewers,
Back from Antwerp and the world of Jan-Jan Van Essche. Khayal experience at the MoMu. Jan-Jan Van Essche is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and by the looks of the opening, he has many fans and followers. Van Essche graduated 21 years ago and 14 years ago he launched his brand, based at Atelier Solarshop, a shop he shares with his partner Pietro Celestina. His designs are genderless and always comfortable, they merge a Japanese aesthetic with a Belgian one. His textiles are artisanal and made lovingly of natural fibres. The designs are discrete and timeless. His love of not only the Japanese textiles but also the culture is evident in the exhibition which is very calm and serene. The way the curtains are hung at the entrance causes one to bow their heads on entering the space.
Jan-Jan took us through the exhibition explaining both the textiles, the process creating them and his approach to pattern making. Jan-Jan Van Essche is also the guest curator of his own exhibition which he helped to develop on the ground floor. The mannequins were constructed for the exhibition and give no indication of gender. For the opening his friends provided the musical atmosphere that was quite transporting.
Later,
Diane
