The collected knitwork of Loes Veenstra 2012
Museum Rotterdam and
Wandschappen’s 2012 project focused on the working class Charlois neighbourhood
of the city. Their ambition was to highlight what was important and relevant to
the city now. They came across Loes Veenstra, a woman who had lived in Charlois
her whole life and discovered the collection of handknit sweaters that she had been
making. Meindertsma was approached to create a project about the Loes and her
sweaters for the museum’s collection.
Loes had made 550 sweaters
throughout her life and none of them had ever been worn. Meindertsma was initially asked to make a
new object from the sweaters but soon an idea to catalogue the sweaters and make
a surprise event for Loes emerged. The project became about creating a special moment
for Loes herself; a parade including local bands and dancers filled the street
where Loes lived, all wearing the sweaters she had knit.
Along with the film,
the sweaters were catalogued, creating a permanent record of Loes work, and
many were later auctioned.
COMMISSIONED BY: Museum Rotterdam, Wandschappen
SPECIAL CREDITS: Roel van
Tour, Mathijs Labadie, Tim Roza and the many others who took part in the project.
