Claire
Zandvliet
Soft installations & textile research
If Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch had a love-baby, well then that would be me! I am an artist with a passion for all things soft. Think colorful cozy materials, stuff found in dumpsters and lots of fluff. In addition to making art, I research textiles and work for cultural institutions as production assistant.
Power to the soft!
Biography
As an artist with a passion for all things soft, textiles often play a major role in my work. My mom taught me how to sew at a young age and I have warm memories of the times crafting at our kitchen table. Later my artistic journey expanded into carpentry, upholstery, photography and digital design. In my 20's studied commercial graphic design, but multiple art courses and connecting with other artists tought me aproatches to create more freely. Nowadays I let the randomness of environment inspire me!
“The randomness of my environment inspires me.”
I work with materials I find on the streets like wood, discarded furniture, clothing, mattresses, herbs, mud, etc. I visit markets and buy fabrics that give me a nice feeling when I touch them. I thrift machines and experiment with all kinds of techniques. I use what comes on my path and combine it with a good dose of humor. Through letting my surroundings inspire me like this, ideas that pop up in my head every moment of the day.
“Being soft is seen as a weakness,
but is it really?”
Themes that often come back in my work are (dis)comfort and vulnerability. In the world I was brought up in, society's softies are drowned out by harsh opinions and loud shouters. Being soft is seen as a weakness, but is it really? Or can we learn more if we just listened more carefully? Power to the soft!
Bollie, 2021
Discover & build soft worlds.
selfportrait, 2020
Portfolio
Soft works created over the past years.
Bollie (2021)
Huggable furniture. Strap it to whatever you like and receive affection on your terms.
Materials: wood, foam, dotted fabric, strap
Kraplap (2024)
A modern take on the old-fashioned Dutch traditional costume from Spakenbrug.
Materials: cotton, fiberfill, embroidery yarn
Wandtapuit (2022)
A tapestry depicting Carpet Bird. The pun only makes sense in Dutch.
Materials: burlap, wool, carpet glue
Soft cities (2023)
'Soft Cities' is an interactive traveling quilt. Together with differt communities, I shape this blanket into the soft city of our shared dreams. By cutting, pasting and embroidering fabric, we create a place together where we feel at home.
You are invited to add what you think the city needs when participating in one of its workshops.
‘Soft Cities’ was on display at Podium Sleutelwoord (2023), OOK huis (2023) and TROEF Leiden (2024).
Materials: cotton, fiberfill, embroidery yarn
borrelbig (2021)
A cute piglet with a basket on its back that serves lazy pigs sausages.
Materials: walking toy pig, plastic, ribbon, fuet
cozy kittens (2020)
A crochet pillow filled with cats of all kinds and shapes.
Materials: wool, beads
Egg titties (2020)
Some knitted titties to keep your eggs warm and cozy.
Materials: wool
Riet (2021)
What is your favorite piece of furniture and why? Can you build an intimate bond with a piece of furniture? And what happens to that relationship as the piece of furniture transfigures and other people become involved? "Riet" is a research into the sexual relationship between man and object. Performance, poetry, photography and video (https://youtu.be/cq5YbfV7Krg). Riet is a common Dutch female name and translates as reed.
‘Riet’ was on display in the Kunsthal Rotterdam in August 2021.
Materials: a wicker chair
SelfPortrait (2020)
Pattern created by stacking routes of frequently taken walks during Covid.
Materials: cotton, fiberfill, wool
Support Yourself (2023)
Some self love and care. A bralette designed for International Women's Day.
Materials: velvet, cotton, elastic
Participeer Meer (2021)
Lake of disposable plastic of created by museum visitors.
Materials: plastic
soft and cozy is my comfort zone.
Bollie, 2021
Artist Resume
Exhibitions
2025
Geloof, Hoop, Liefde | Museum Spakenburg
2024
Majalla's Mantel | Lakenhal Leiden
Verwevenheid | Indonesian Embassy Amsterdam
All You Can Art (artist)| Kunsthal Rotterdam
Festival Nul | Theater De Generator Leiden
Soft Struggles | Troef Leiden
2023
Podium Sleutelwoord | Wibar Leiden
Fit an Ocean in a Cup | Galerie Niffo Rotterdam
#IKBENKUNST | Centraal Station Rotterdam
All You Can Art | Kunsthal Rotterdam
2021
Uitalage | Utrecht Marketing
All You Can Art (student) | Kunsthal Rotterdam
Productions
2024
Majalla's Mantel | Production assistant of Sarah van Lamsweerde
Art-S-Cool | Coördinator of multiple art education projects
2023
Art-S-Cool | Coördinator of art education on high schools.
Zit Zat Gezeten. Nu Ga Ik Staan! | Production assistant of Tirzo Martha for artparade Binnenhof on invitation of the Senate (Eerste Kamer)
All You Can Art | Floor manager at Kunsthal Rotterdam
2022
All You Can Art | Floor manager at Kunsthal Rotterdam
2019
In to the Great Wide Open | Set builder for Triomf
collectives
All Year Round | Founder
All Year Round is an artist collective of AYCA Summerschool alumni & friends. We organize network meetings, workshops and exhibitions.
Take A Way | Member
Creative neighbors of Rotterdam South meet every week to make coffee, share stories and make.
Windkracht 10 | Member
Textile art collective of 10+ women of all ages who challenge the wind. We exhibit in changing composition and environments.
Education
2022 School of Unlived Worlds | Jonge Harten Groningen
2021 All You Can Art Summer School | Kunsthal Rotterdam
2013 - 2018 Communicatie en Media Design, Hogeschool Utrecht
Contact
Get in touch!
Phone
+31 (0)644256200
cl.zandvliet@gmail.com
Instagram
@naaiclubnoord
