Radiant girl
Lace
'Radiant girl', just like the 'Table linens', is an instalment of a larger work related to a bequest from my mother. A major part of this inheritance consists of all sorts of textiles. The numerous lace collars and ornamentations have been saved and cared for by successive generations of women in my family. The collars were frequently worn on different blouses or dresses.
Unfortunately, I cannot find the collar once lent to me as a child for a dress, Yet, that fragile feeling of delight I received along with it has always stayed with me. Also read the article the ‘Last day of school’ about fine material memories with textiles.
A broderie anglaise triangle in linen. According to my aunt, these triangles might have been made to decorate undies. An intimate witness to my grandmother's wedding in 1931.
Through the lens of my camera, with my child as the model, I decided to examine the recollections and fleeting memories conveyed by the textiles. An interplay of light and shadow, fabric and skin. The lace, pulled out of context, and the young face only partly visible—as a fragment in light or shadow.
The collaboration between model and photographer becomes more and more intuitive. While being present in the moment becomes more important than the past.
A child’s collar made of cotton, used frequently and often repaired.
Crepe collar, decorated with a sewn-on flowers and finished with a thinly crocheted edge.
Badly damaged piece of cotton tulle, finished with embroidered lace. Hard starched and pleated.
Collar, most likely made from a small tablecloth, machine-embroidered cotton. Hard starched.