Save the date: All The Small Things tentoongesteld in Z33 Hasselt

The three Designers in Residence Yufei Gao, Julie Merlino and Eszter Nagy, resided in Kortrijk from September to December 2024. They were inspired by the rich history of Kortrijk. Textiles are therefore the common thread in their work, where together they explore the boundaries between craftsmanship, tradition and new technologies. Their final presentation was previously exhibited at the Texture Museum in Kortrijk. This spring, the exhibition travels to Z33 in Hasselt, where it can be seen from 8 May to 22 June.

Courtrai is remembered for two things: as a textile town since the Middle Ages and as a border. Since the 1820 Treaty of Courtrai, 300 stone border posts have marked the border with France. In 2021, Belgium got a little bigger when a farmer moved that border by 2.29 metres.

A fascinating history that Yufei Gao tackles in her video projection entitled A border is not a boundary. She built a border post in linen and filmed it while wandering along the French-Belgian border. In doing so, she commemorates how people, industry and migration are intertwined.

Light reacts differently to materials: it reflects, deflects or creates a shine. Like when looking at Belgian damask, a traditional weaving technique for which Kortrijk was known in the 16th century. The fabric's complex structure and the designs it incorporates provide an interesting viewing experience.

This dynamic fascinated Julie Merlino. With A change in frequency, she explores fabrics that shift dynamically based on the viewer's perception and position. The research is based on phenomena such as the moiré movement effect and makes microstructures visible.

A binary logic connects the worlds of computers and weaving. In computers, it determines whether a pixel is drawn or not; in weaving, the same binary reasoning takes place when the warp thread is raised or lowered.

Eszter Nagy interweaves craftsmanship with the digital world. Starting with a 1987 woven napkin from the Verilin Mill in Kortrijk, her work Edge or No Edge transforms local icons into digital copies. She realises a dialogue between pixels and fabric threads in her installation, where a tapestry is placed next to LED screens.

Every year, Z33 gives a stage to young talent. All the Small Things showcases the results of Designers in Residence Kortrijk of Designregion Kortrijk 2024. Each year, a jury selects three recently graduated designers from different creative disciplines. They are given three months to develop a concept, collaborating with citizens, entrepreneurs, education and society. At Z33, they show the result of their creative research.

In collaboration with Designregio Kortrijk

This work was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union and implemented by the Goethe-Institute. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.

Eszter Nagy

1997 / Hungary

Eszter Nagy is an audiovisual designer and visual researcher concerned with the representation of the working class and the material culture of everyday life. Her practice is based on interacting with communities and understanding their habits and meeting places. She is developing an interactive archival prototype to represent the Dutch colonial influence on citrus production.

Eszter graduated in 2022 from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (BA, Media Design) and in 2023 from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (MA, Non Linear Narrative).

Yufei Gao

1993 / Netherlands

Yufei Gao is a storyteller and artist-researcher. She approaches complex subjects with an absurd sense of humour and playfulness, through the lens of everyday objects and small details.

Her interest in stories, poetry, politics and philosophy translates into various practices such as film, writing, coding and installation art. In immersive installations, moving images and objects play the leading role.

Julie Merlino

1996 / France

Julie Merlino is an interdisciplinary designer and materials researcher based in Amsterdam. With a background in textile design, she explores the intersection of traditional crafts and technologies. Her work redefines the designer's role as a mediator and bridge-builder between environment and social change.

Light is central to her work. In particular, the interaction of light with matter is fundamental in her research on photosynthesis, refraction and energy transfer. Her projects, such as A Change in Frequency, use material innovation and storytelling to cultivate awareness and dialogue around sustainability.

• Locatie: Bonnefantenstraat 1, 3500 Hasselt
• Datum: 08.05 tot 22.06.25
• Contact: +32 (0)11 29 59 60
• E-Mail: info@z33.be

This work was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union and implemented by the Goethe-Institute. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.