Tribute to late artist Lizan Freijsen

To our great sadness, artist Lizan Freijsen passed away suddenly on the 15th of February after a fatal cycling accident. This forces us to say goodbye to an engaging, inspiring and very much liked artist at the TextileLab.

When Freijsen (1960-2024) was first introduced to the technique of tufting in 2008, over 13 years ago, she initially felt resistance. At the time, tufting was not yet seen as a technique that could be used to create art. Through her ingenuity, she saw possibilities and became fascinated. The introduction to the TextileLab, the professional workshop of the TextileMuseum, was the start of a successful textile oeuvre that finds an international stage in museums, art fairs, public buildings and private interiors.

 

 

 

 

On the left, Lizan is pictured with Hester Onijs and on the right with Karen Zeedijk, photo: Josefina Eikenaar

Her drive manifested itself in a fine collaboration with the TextileLab. Tufting expert Hester Onijs says: ''During this collaboration, Lizan regularly came to Tilburg to discuss the progress of her tufting projects.  She then expressed her admiration for the way she built up the transitions and colour gradients. Always in her favourite colours of green, brown, beige and ochre that are sporadically contrasted with bright outliers in orange or yellow''.

Tuftexpert Karen Zeedijk describes that working with Freijsen was very pleasant: ''We have always enjoyed working with Lizan. Her careful colour choices, knowledge of the technique and pleasant way of communicating ensured this. She also really has put the technique of hand tufting on the map''.

Picture: Josefina Eikenaar

One of her first textile works was purchased by the TextileMuseum and has been part of the permanent collection ever since. The work consists of 4 floor objects from the series 'Wall Dish lichen' (2009). The soft, subtly coloured whimsical round forms are based on photographs Freijsen took in France of fungi and lichens on rock formations. Freijsen's research, making adventure, voyage of discovery has thus been captured and made insightful. An adventure that was still in full swing. A work by Freijsen is currently being completed at the TextileLab, destined for the Artis Groote Museum in Amsterdam. Inspired by wood structures and tree rings, this rug is aptly titled "Pillars of life".

Freijsen's dedication to her work and her contribution to the tufting technique that has now become a completely accepted and sought-after technique in art will always be remembered. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this difficult time.

Below is a selection of Freijsen's work

 

Wall dish lichen:

This work is a representation of how moisture, fungi and mosses form pictorial scenes that invade our living environment. With this work, Freijsen depicted how stains become spots. The size of the rug is 200 x 220 cm.

Picture: Joep Vogels

 

The Dunes carpet:

Freijsen tufted this rug for an American collector. This work took over four months to complete and is the largest hand-tufted rug from the TextileLab. It bears a size of 400 x 500 cm.

Picture: Josefina Eikenaar

 

Seed and Moss Carpet:

 

This rug Freijsen made is destined for the entrance hall of the World Seed Bank in Oslo, Norway. The design of this carpet is after a drawing of seeds and a border of mosses, the first plants on land. The rug measures 300 x 350 cm.

Picture: Josefina Eikenaar