THE OPEN DOOR at hARTslane

THE OPEN DOOR is a collaborative exhibition about belonging and displacement across time and space by Aude Hérail Jäger and Tisna Westerhof. The project evolved from a series of conversations during the 2020 pandemic, when the two artists started exchanging thoughts and creative ideas about notions of home, the significance of childhood memories and family ties, especially during times of separation.

The result is a collection of intimate works based on personal experience interlaced with critical observations of contemporary life, in particular the role of women in society both past and present, expressed in works on paper, textiles and sculpture.

An integral part of the project is the Women’s Quilt of Pride, a collaborative piece of textile art created in workshops with members of the local communities in France and London. Participants were invited to dedicate a textile square to an inspirational woman, family member, friend or public figure. The experience of personal expression through an ancient craft forming a cathartic bond between the participants while the resulting quilts serve as testaments of togetherness and hope.

First shown in the vast vaults of a former vineyard in rural France this Spring, the exhibition has been adapted to the urban setting of a converted motorbike garage. For the London iteration, the artists have worked closely with members of The Feminist Library who will present a selection of their large archive collection of feminist literature to complement the displays.
The exhibition opens with a conversation chaired by The Feminist Library between the two artists and Nazira Mehmari, Operational Manager at IKWRO, the Women’s Rights Organisation whose members contributed to the Women’s Quilt of Pride, as well as Dr. Farhana Hoque, Social and Medical Anthropologist, University College London, who contributed to THE OPEN DOOR catalogue, and Cristiana Bottigella, co-founder and director of hARTslane.