Sint Lucas Masters 2023-2024
A SPACE FOR/OF TENDERNESS

A SPACE FOR/OF TENDERNESS

Inge Floré

Socio-Political Context  2023-2024

I research textile in all its forms, garments too, as a canvas for story-telling. I use soft, slow techniques as sewing, lace, embroidery - usually born from a decorative need - to transmit content, that might clash with that decorative function. I try to achieve a dramaturgical exchange between textiles, texts, photographs, video, painting and space.

My work embodies tenderness, storytelling, and experimentation. As a daughter and mother, I delve into the sensorial and imaginative realms, crafting narratives that challenge gender roles and emphasize the importance of softness and contemplation. This master project includes a series of five full-colour garments and one hat, two collections of hand-sewn 'Handkerchiefs for Special Use (For tears only – To express shame)', a textile banner 'To Proudly express Mixed Ancestry', two poems and a Pluriverse Prayer, a performative video, and a black-and-white photo series, 'Female Lineage'. These components explore femininity and societal constructs. Central to the presentation is tenderness as a counterforce to violence and societal discord. My embroidery and lace work, the garments, the handkerchiefs and banner, the photo series and video open a multi-sensorial experience, inviting viewers to reflect on touch, intimacy, and connection in a world often dominated by aggression and patriarchy. I aim to expand my practice with close-to-the-body textile techniques such as lacework and embroidery, exploring the transformative power of mistakes and unexpected outcomes. I envision my artistic space as a refuge for introspection, where audiences can contemplate the potency of tenderness and femininity in today's society.