Smartlap (or Sorrow Cloth) – 2023

‘Smartlap’ in Dutch literally translates to ‘Sorrow Cloth’ and is a term used to describe folk music, namely life-songs. This musical term implies a reference to embroidered cloths to decorate the home. While requiring hours of manual labour and skill, these works were often regarded as decoration rather than art. In a time saturated with industrial perfection and mass production, I find myself fascinated by the time and patience that embroidery requires. Therefore, I set about creating my personal take on a ‘smartlap’.