About us

The Dutch artist, Claudy Jongstra (1963) creates tapestries and large-scale textile art installations.

The beauty of nature, raw materials and the exploration of crafts such as spinning, carding and weaving constantly inspire and help Jongstra bring a sense of beauty and belonging to public spaces. She works together with architects and clients around the world to create unique and tactile pieces.

Claudy Jongstra and her team maintain control over the whole process from raw materials to tapestries. Committed to the value chain of creation, they raise their own sheep, keep bees, cultivate a botanical garden and grow their own plants for dyes. They leave no waste, respect nature and exemplify their philosophical values of utilizing local resources and traditional skills.

Claudy Jongstra’s oeuvre is founded on ethical values. Her work and life are inspired by stewardship, the promotion of bio-diversity and the preservation of a natural and cultural heritage. Together with her compagnon, Marleen Engbersen, they constantly explore how to create a softer, more human atmosphere. Enjoyment, time and dedication are the most important ingredients in creating these works of art.

In 2011 Jongstra showed her pieces at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York and at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2012.

Claudy Jongstra has been awarded the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prijs for Applied Arts and Architecture and has recently received two awards in the Netherlands for sustainability.

Her work is included in the collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Museum of Modern Art New York, the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum in New York, the RISD Museum on Rhode Island and the Friesian Museum in Leeuwarden.

This blog gives a glimpse into the most characteristic textile pieces and shows the beauty and creative strength of our studio.

“People have great careers, but they have lost their connection with nature. They are astounded to see how culture is created from nature. They have busy lives and great careers but feel a huge emptiness around them caused by the superficiality of frenzied consumption. We hope to awaken people’s deeper inner knowledge.”

CURRICULUM VITAE

CLAUDY JONGSTRA

1963	Born in Roermond, the Netherlands

EDUCATION

2000	Start Studio Claudy Jongstra
1996	Start studio Not Tom, Dick & Harry
1982-1989	Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, Utrecht Fashion Design, cum laude

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS (selection)

2013	Fries Museum, Leeuwarden
2009	Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, New York
2007	LACMA Museum, Los Angeles The RISD Museum, Rhode Island
2005	Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, New York
2001	Museum of Modern Art, New York
2000	Fries Museum, Leeuwarden Victoria & Albert Museum, London
1999-2005	Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
1999-2001	Centraal Museum, Utrecht
1999	Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York
1997-2003	Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague
1996-2006	Nederlands Textiel Museum, Tilburg

AWARDS

2011	Duurzaam lintje (Prize for front runners with respect to sustainability)
2010	Doen-Materiaalprijs (Prize for sustainable and innovative material use)
2008	Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prijs voor Toegepaste Kunst en Bouwkunst (Applied Arts and Architecture Prize)
2007	Nomination Vredeman de Vries Prijs voor vormgeving (Design Prize)
2005	Vredeman de Vries Prijs voor vormgeving (Design Prize), Leeuwarden Amsterdamprijs voor de Kunsten 2005 (Prize for the Arts)
2000	Aanmoedigingsprijs Industrieel Ontwerp (Prize for Encouragement of Industrial Design)
1995	Materiaalfondsprijs voor innovatief materiaalgebruik (Prize for innovative use of material)

COMMISSIONS (selection)

2009-2013	Sculpture entrance hall Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, Arch. Bierman Henket architecten
2012-2013	Art commission for Banque de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2012	Concept proposal for Heineken International, Amsterdam Concept proposal for Spa project, Middle East, Arch. Will Bruder+Partners Art commission for the Synagogue of the Liberal Jewish Community Amsterdam, Arch. Search Architects, Bjarne Mastenbroek Art commission for hospital Harlingen, Architects Aan de Maas Art commission for CEANconsulting, Baarn
2011-2012	Murals Barnes Foundation main building & restaurant, Philadelphia, Arch. TWBT Architects Tapestries Bennington College, Vermont, USA Tapestries Queen Mary University, London, Wilkinson Eyre Architects Art commission for Centraal Justitieel Incasso Bureau, Leeuwarden Arch. Claus en Kaan Architects
2011	Tapestries for restaurant, Provinciehuis Provincie Fryslân, Leeuwarden Art commission for boardroom Triodos Bank N.V., Zeist Tapestry for Buitenplaats Amerongen, Amerongen
2010	Art commission for Oranjerie, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam Mural for conferenceroom, Lloyd Hotel Amsterdam Art commission North Wall Atrium at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, Arch. TWBT Arichtects Art commission for boardroom AVL hospital, Amsterdam Wall tapestry Bishop House Marcel Breuer, Connecticut USA arch. Toshiko Mori Architects Wall tapestry for organic cosmetic store, Amsterdam Art commission for Rudolf Steiner school Leeuwarden, Onix architects
2009	Sketch proposal tapestries Bennington College, Vermont USA, arch. TWBT Architects Art commission for chapel AVL hospital, Amsterdam Art commission for Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, arch. H.J. Henket Art commission for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York arch. TWBT Architects Art commission for boardroom DSM, Heerlen Art commission for cemetery Zorgvlied, Amsterdam Art commission for Province Limburg, Maastricht Art commission for wedding room, Amstelveen
2008	Art commission for the dollshouse of Petronella Oortmans in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Artpieces Search bv., Amsterdam Design elevators in the World Trade Center, Schiphol Art installation entrance hall Commujon, Almelo Wall covering AVL hospital, Amsterdam Artpiece townhall, Wommels
2008-2010	Several art pieces for Triodos Bank N.V., Zeist
2007	Mastercard design for Aids Funds Wall covering entrance hall, Public Library Amsterdam, arch. Jo Coenen Art installations Council chamber/wedding room, theatre and entry hall, City Hall Nijverdal, arch. Claus & Kaan
2006	Penthouses in ‘red rock casino’, Las Vegas, architect Peter Bentel Art installation ‘Sky Arc Residence’ San Francisco, arch. Will Bruder Acoustic art panels, Dutch Embassy Berlin, arch. Rem Koolhaas i.c.w. Marc Mulders
2005	Wall covering restaurant Kunsthal Rotterdam, arch. Rem Koolhaas
2004	Fabric design for Maarten Baas: Smoke Furniture Art commission, UMC Utrecht, Radiotherapy department Concept for restaurant MOMA for Bentel & Bentel Arch., NY Felt on Aluminium Shutters for Lloyd hotel, Amsterdam, arch. MVRDV
2003	Wall covering Center Court, Ministry of VWA, The Hague Wall hangings Presidential residence, The Hague, arch. Jo Coenen
2002	Design for spring/summer ’03 collection Christian Lacroix
2001	Applied art Stadgenoot, arch. Steven Holl Design and effectuation for Metropolitan Opera, New York Costumes for Les Mamelles de Tirésias, opera Trionfo
2000	Design & effectuation for Will Bruder, Boston
1999 – 2003	Designs for The Gallery Mourmans, Maastricht
1997 – 1999	Concepts for Donna Karan, New York
1999	Upholstering ‘Kasese chair’ design by Hella Jongerius Concept for VOLVO Car Operations
1997	Felt for the STARWARS movie ‘the Phantom Menace’
1996	Felt for John Galliano, Paris

EXHIBITIONS (selection)

2012	Solo exhibition World Economic Forum Davos, Switzerland Part of ‘Talking Textiles’ exhibition by Lidewij Edelkoort, Stockholm Solo exhibition at Openbare Bibliotheek, Amsterdam Participation in Architecture Biennale Venice by order of Tod Williams & Billie Tsien Architects
2011-2012	Exhibition ‘Pelgrimage’ icw Marc Mulders at Abdij Onze Lieve Vrouw Koningshoeven, Berkel-Enschot
2011	Temporary exposition at Headquarters United Nations, New York Part of ‘Talking Textiles’ exhibition by Lidewij Edelkoort, Milan Participation Art Amsterdam, Amsterdam
2009	Participation in ‘Fashioning Felt’, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, NY Participation in ‘20 ans de tendances vues par Li Edelkoort’, Institut néerlandais, Paris
2008	Part of the Techno Threads exhibition in the Science Gallery, Dublin Installation i.c.w. Eylem Aladogan, Kröller-Müller Museum, Arnhem The Museum of Art, Providence, New York ‘Mapping out Paradise’ i.c.w. Marc Mulders, De Pont, Tilburg Exhibition i.c.w. Marc Mulders, Dutch Embassy, Berlin
2007	Participation in Architecture Biennale Sao Paulo by order of NAI
2006	Design Conference Pasadena, California Solo ‘feel felt felt’ at Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum Anniversary exhibition 10 years at Nederlands Textiel Museum, Tilburg LACMA Gallery, NLA straight outta Holland, Los Angeles
2005	Participation in ‘Future Design Days’, Stockholm Solo presentation at Moss, New York

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Present	Start biological dynamical dye plant culture in Friesland
2009-present	Set-up botanical garden with dye plants and herbs next to the Studio
2007-present	Cooperation with Forbo Flooring
2004-present	Set-up natural dye works
1999-present	Cooperation with Orson + Bodil
1999-present	Cooperation with Marc Mulders

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CURRICULUM VITAE