Justyna Kuklo

 fot. Wiktor Dąbkowski

Justyna Kuklo was born in eastern Poland, where she learned the traditional craft of weaving at an arts high school. She was then seduced by the sea and moved to Gdansk to discover painting, colors, and fine arts. Having become a painter, illustrator, and teacher, she traveled further to the center of Europe. She settled down in Brussels and is now whiling away her time on Belgian lace. She graduated from the Gdansk Academy of Fine Arts and the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles. She has exhibited in Poland, the Czech Republic, France, Spain, Monaco and Belgium. She lives and works in Brussels.

Lace and embroidering are often associated with femininity. Many female artists use this craft technique as a tool of expression. By continuing the bobbin lace technique from the XVI century, I’m keeping the connection between the past and the present and translating it into contemporary art language. The print used on the t-shirt is linked to “Table of my grandmother”  done in cooperation with my mother – Helena Kuklo – who made some of the pieces of the embroidery. The project is devoted to all women who used to spend great amounts of time creating pieces of clothing and everyday items for the family. Even an ordinary made napkin hides memories and thoughts about relationships, the family, children, love and… Installation: table, cups, tablecloth with ten napkins, bobbin lace, and embroidery 2010