Hearts of great people ignore the borders on the map! This is what I discovered after my meeting with the Dutch fabric artist Marijke Eken on a hot afternoon of spring at the Tehran Times office in Tehran.

Marijke has been a textile artist ever since she graduated from the school of arts in Nijmegen Netherlands (TEHATEX) in the early 80s.

In 1995, she met Inge Evers who gave Marijke her very first lessons in felt. The experiment had a profound impact on her, so much so that in 2003 she took up felt-making as a full-time job.

Since 2005, Marijke has travelled to Iran three times to take classes on felt and study the art of felt-making of the country.

She came to Iran with her friend and translator Ali Abdoli in May 2015 to educate herself on Iranian textile artists and their works.

-------------- Iran’s felt-making remains unknown to many

“I took an interest in Iran when I was a child. Later on, when I was in the Netherlands, I befriended many Iranians, who inspired me even more to see the country.
“I took a trip to Iran in 2005 for the first time. Actually, Iran was interesting, the land of opportunity for me to study art of felt-making,” she told the Tehran Times.
She named Turkey, Turkmenistan and some parts of Europe the hubs of felt-making art.
“However, felt-making in Iran remains unknown to many in this kind of art. During my first visit to Iran, I came across a book on the art of felt-making at the Carpet Museum of Iran and I understood that the art is being practiced in Isfahan, Shiraz, Kerman and Mazandaran.

“I was connected Iranians interested in making felt through my Facebook page. While in Iran, I also watched documentaries and studied articles on the art of felt-making,” she said.

“I came to know some young women in Tehran who performed felt-making and made handicrafts with felt,” she explained.

-------------- Art will show true face of Iran abroad

“As an artist, you have a calling to create and no one can take that away from you,” she said.

“Felt-making is a genuine kind of art in Iran and its neighboring states. Unfortunately, the Western media has portrayed a negative image of Iran. I believe art, literature and culture are of great help to introduce the true and real face of Iran to the world”, she said.

The Iranian Dutch-based Ali Abdoli, who accompanied Marijke on her trips to Iran as her translator, plans to hold a showcase of calligraphy on the poems of Persian poet Rumi in the Netherlands.

“I am planning to invite Iranian artists, who have played an active role in the felt-making art, to the Netherlands to set up art exhibitions in different galleries,” she said.

She also said she would probably bring some of her works to Iran for display in an exhibition.

“We are planning for artistic exchange in the field of felt including holding joint exhibitions and workshops,” she said.

“As an artist, I have my own personal style and this is my personal project but I am sure that people and enthusiasts will join me in this uneven way,” she added.

-------- Felt-making as a technique!

She then proceeded to explain about the felt-making technique. “You should create a kind of friction between the material (wool) and your body, or you can use a needle to do it,” she explained.

“It is thoroughly a physical task which needs strength”, she added.

“Nowadays in Europe, people respect and pay attention to handicrafts and handmade products. Many people came to the conclusion to create their own needs by themselves,” she explained.

She then explained the different types of usages that felt was given in ancient Iran. “It was used as a rug, as a pad under silk Persian carpets, overcoats, and saddles in different parts of Iran,” Marijke explained
“Although making a rug out of felt may only take one day, it is done nonstop and at full strength by groups of men,” she said.

“However, these days people tend to buy little objects made out of felt, since it is more practical and the price is more appropriate,” she added.

Felt-making is a hard physical task, which was previously done by men in traditional ways.
“But I saw strong women like Kyrgyz who also done the job,” she said.

---------------- Be creative and don’t forget the Mother Nature!
The art of felt-making is gradually attracting more attention in European countries and people show interest in it, she said.
“In my opinion the art of felt-making is sort of healing. Wool is soft loose animal hair and when processed by felt-making it transforms into a firm and sturdy textile that cannot be torn or broken. When you gradually form the felt in your hand, something inside you takes shape,” she said.
It is a kind of meditation; it relaxes you, she added.
She also pointed out to the importance of feeling connected with the Mother Nature, adding that one should never forget to stay part of it even in the modern life.
With a smile on her face, she advises everyone to stay creative and take the advantage of the right scope of imagination as the sky is the limit.
PHOTO: Marijke Eken brings some of her abstract artworks during the interview at Tehran Times' office on May 18 (Photo: Mohammadreza Abbasi)

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