Weaving Roots

Tapestry landscapes and public co-weaving at Bärenzwinger, Berlin (March to June 2022)

The two panels of Love is as Love Does standing in the garden of the Bärenzwinger, Berlin, purple, red and orange weaving with long lilac fringes against green trees

Claudia Hill

Inside the former bear enclosure: tapestry landscapes hanging on yellow-tiled walls around a large wooden loom with purple warp threads

Claudia Hill

A pair of tapestries woven from grasses, reeds and coloured strips hanging above the loom, under a pointed arch window

Claudia Hill

Looking through a doorway into a dim brick chamber of the enclosure, with bundles of straw and grasses lying on the tiled floor

Juan Saez

A tapestry landscape resting among leaves in the garden: purple and blue weaving with red, orange and yellow fabric scraps, seen up close

Juan Saez

A tapestry landscape hanging like a hammock between plants in the Bärenzwinger garden

Juan Saez

Weaving Roots brings together two artists with two distinct practices to explore the garden as a site of community building. The bear is the emblem of Berlin and Claudia Hill’s 125-year-old tapestry loom transforms the interior of the former bear enclosure into a workshop, while the outside open spaces around the enclosure are transformed into a garden by Jared Gradinger.

Detail of work in progress: ruched lilac and beige fabric strips above yellow knots and red and white weaving

Antje Berghäuser

The 125-year-old tapestry loom with two tapestries in progress, purple and red weaving at the bottom of a white warp

Juan Saez

Three visitors weaving side by side at the loom during a public co-weaving session, seen from behind

Claudia Hill

Two visitors weaving at the loom inside the enclosure, with grass tapestries hanging above and a pointed arch window beyond

Claudia Hill

The loom seen through the open door of the enclosure, two woven panels with long lilac fringes hanging from its front

Claudia Hill

Two people holding up the two panels of Love is as Love Does in front of the brick arch of the Bärenzwinger

Natsuko Mizushima van der Ree

Hill considers her tapestry landscapes to be portable gardens and her loom a social-sculpture. Under her guidance, the audience participates in using the loom, emphasizing the openness of her abstraction and her desire for collaboration in both materials and construction.

Detail: dried grasses, reeds and seed heads woven into a white warp with blue, green and red striped strips

Antje Berghäuser

Detail: a black coiled cable, dried lavender and strips of denim, purple, pink and green fabric woven together

Claudia Hill

Detail: denim strips and brass buttons woven around a patch of bright blue and white, with a dried thistle head at the edge

Antje Berghäuser

Detail: a mother-of-pearl shell tied in with rope among yellow, green, pink and orange fabric strips

Juan Saez

Antje Berghäuser

Love is as Love Does
2022
Woven Panel
Textile, Plant Dye, Plastic, Feathers, Rubber, Cotton Yarn
Two panels, each 180 cm × 88 cm (excluding fringe)

Just Trest
2022
Woven Panel
Plants, Acrylic Paint, Cotton Yarn
210 cm × 250 cm (excluding fringe)

Cover photo of Where the Sea Goes to Rest

Where the Sea Goes to Rest
2021
Woven Panel
Textile, Plants, Acrylic Paint, Leather, Cable, Glass, Shell, Cotton
Two panels, each 250 cm × 80 cm (excluding fringe)

Co-Weaving
2021

Weaving Roots is curated by Malte Pieper and Maja Smoszna.

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