We cling to structure and efficiency, but simultaneously we prefer to throw those rules overboard. We allow ourselves to be guided by digital gadgets in our daily lives, but in the meantime we embrace products that are pure and traditional. We schedule our days down to the minute, while dreaming of slowing down. Doesn't this sound absurd? And what if the absurd is not a contradiction, but rather the playing field? What if it can surprise rather than alienate?

In the exhibition Draad. Het absurde is overal (Thread. The absurd is everywhere), 33 artists play with the many contrasts of our time. They celebrate the versatility of textiles and push the boundaries of materials and techniques. Knitted film stills, textile memories in clay, and pixel patterns explore the possibilities of textiles as a medium while questioning the world we live in. The artists find beauty in waste and residual materials, protection and strength in fragile materials, and turn the everyday inside out into something delightfully absurd.

This exhibition is the result of an open call that we launched together with Texture. With Draad, we focus on visual artists who are at the beginning of their artistic careers and are looking for an exciting opportunity to showcase their work with a twist on textiles. From almost 500 submissions, the jury consisting of Sadrie Alves (visual artist), Suzanne Landrieu (artist and founder of art space 4n20 in Kortrijk), and Sofie Hermans (textile designer and lecturer at the Maasmechelen Academy of Fine Arts and the Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts) selected 33 artists who push the boundaries of textiles and play with absurdity. In addition to this opportunity to exhibit their work, the artists also receive support in their artistic and professional development through training and networking opportunities throughout the process.