Shaking Fibers

_{^{title: Shaking Fibers
location: Barlagerpolder, Groningen
material: Hay and wool
project: FieldLab Tot in mijn Vezels
date: 2022}}

Shaking Fibers

The Barlagerpolder, Oldambt, Groningen, is a small polder owned by Staatsbosbeheer since the 1970s. A landversation took place in this polder. This is a conversation about maintenance and cultivating land with the managers of the land.

In this polder, the students of Minerva art academy met Rosa Sellies, shepherd of the Noorderlicht flock and Marcels Lasker, driving school owner who mows the grass of the plots in the Barlagerpolder with Groninger horses. This land has been a location for a work-creation project during years of crisis in the last century. Blue, very calcareous clay was excavated here by hand and transported elsewhere to improve the soil structure. Currently Rosa and Marcel contribute to the biodiversity of the area with the aim of turning this into a flower-rich meadow.

During the landversation, a felted map of wool was spread out on the grass. I made this work of art from the wool fibers of one of the sheeps from the sheep herd and hay from the pasture of the Barlagerpolder. A line pattern on the map showed how Marcel Lasker and his Groningen horses shake the mown hay on the pasture. The presence of the artwork contributed to the focus in the conversation on land maintenance. It became clear to the students that the efforts of both Marcel and Rosa testify to their commitment to the country, which requires a lot of attention, time and dedication.

Both feltscapes are made of hay of Barlagerpolder and wool of Schoonebeeker lam and coloured Merino, 210 x 160 cm.