Claudy Jongstra is known worldwide for her monumental artworks and architectural installations, whose organic surfaces and nuanced tones reflect her masterful innovations in the ancient technique of making wool felt. Jongstra’s oeuvre, often installed in large public spaces, is included in many international museums as well as private and corporate collections.
In 2001, Jongstra established her studio in the rural north of the Netherlands, where she began a sweeping ecological experiment in the local landscape. Maintaining a flock of rare, indigenous Drenthe Heath sheep (the oldest breed in northern Europe) and cultivating a specialised dyers’ botanical collection garden, Jongstra creates a completely sustainable production chain culminating in her artwork. As Jongstra’s artistic practice expands, so does the impact on her region. Collaborating with local farms, schools, and social programmes, and drawing on a deep respect for the interwoven narratives of people, Jongstra actively reimagines and revitalises the local landscape from mono-cultural production towards a more diverse, inclusive, and ecologically-just model.
