In her new free-hanging installation Mother Rhizoma, Katja Windau refers to traditional images of women and depictions of nature. She was inspired by historical tapestries such as the St. Mary Tapestries in St. Mary’s Church, Rostock or the Halberstadt Cathedral. The exhibition combines a feminist and an anti-hierarchical approach.
The term rhizome comes from ancient Greek (ῥίζωμα), which roughly means “rooted”. In philosophy, the rhizome is a central term for Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, through which the two proclaim a liberation from hierarchical, centered, and binary structures.
Katja Windau uses the technique of wet-felting which is one of the oldest technique for creating textiles. The process of felting reminds her of the rhizomatic model: the sheep’s hair is brought together into a chaotic but stable bond using soap and water. It can spread in any direction, and the result is shaped by chance.
