About

My name is Robijn Sonneveld, I am a textile artist living and working in Amsterdam.
In my work, I make felt collages through which I explore my own naturalness in existence. This often revolves around the same question : As a human being, you try to keep control over life but to what extent is that possible?

The artworks function as free nature abstractions, rich in textures of different types of wool and composed in refined shades of colour.
Growing up in a congealed rational urban environment, I found myself returning to the flowing organic force of nature. Walks are my inspiration, wonder for the course of the seasons, the light, the cloudscapes, the birdlife. The dawn that dispels darkness every day, calm and unhurried. A constant harmonious state of change.

Philosophy of The Power of Softness

This apparent effortlessness of nature is what I call ‘The Power of Softness’ and is the philosophy behind my work. Unburdened by thoughts about how I ‘should’ act or on how the outcome ‘should’ be, I explore the path of natural action/progress.
I make manually shaped and dyed pieces (parts) of felted wool, each with its own character, which I dialogue with each other through collage. Thus, in their unity, they form free-flowing collages without beginning or end that can grow endlessly.

Like nature, the felting and dyeing process of the wool is uncontrollable, each piece of felt I produce myself but the wool itself decides how the outcome will be. Observing nature through these ways contributes to researching my own natural instincts.

In The Power of Softness, I invite you to let go, to relax and not to force but to give it a chance to flow in its own way.

Wool is like an intimate embrace

Wool is the basic material of my work. At the first touch you immediately feel its warmth. It has an insulating effect, is elastic and self-cleaning. Way back when houses were not insulated and there was no central heating, people hung wool goblins on the wall to keep the house warm. And that is still a pleasant feature today.
Wool also works very well for pleasant acoustics. It gives a modern interior with concrete, steel and other hard materials the necessary comfortable softness and soundproofing.