The exhibition On the Way by Miranda Vissers, currently on view at Museum Het Leids Weverhuis, presents a delicate yet immersive exploration of nature through textile-based handcraft. Vissers’ handcrafted works mimic natural forms such as corals, flowers, and seashells, drawing inspiration from her travels along with the landscapes she has encountered. The subtle, earthy colour palette, evoking seashells and soil, reflects her close observation of nature’s various colours.
A standout piece and a personal favourite of mine in the backroom features a flower crochet arrangement surrounding a shovel, evoking the act of gardening, a metaphor for nurturing and interacting with the natural world. This work makes the viewer reflect on their role in shaping and sustaining ecosystems, positioning craft as a form of care.
Upstairs in the attic, are strands of white crochet descending from the ceiling, some threads are on the floor, their delicate web-like forms conjure the image of cobwebs, or the immersive experience of walking through a forest or swamp. This installation envelops visitors in a tactile environment, which blurs the boundaries between art and landscape.
Vissers’ work resonates with the tradition of land art, not through direct intervention in the environment, but via the transformation of natural materials into handcrafted textile form. The absence of conventional canvas and brush places craft techniques as a medium deeply connected to materiality and the rhythms of the natural world. Land art, sometimes called earth art is a movement that dates back to the 1960s and 1970s, and refers to art that is directly made from the landscape using materials such as stones, wood or twigs. A well known example is Spiral Jetty from Robert Smithson.
The exhibition’s colour-based curation enhances this connection, mapping an intuitive spectrum from oceanic blues and greys to earthy browns, and guiding viewers through a journey of place and memory. The inclusion of a participatory element, inviting visitors to create crochet flowers to send to the artist, further emphasises a dialogue between artwork and audience, an invitation to engage with craft as a communal and living practice.
On the Way invites visitors to reconsider their relationship with nature, highlighting handcraft not just as craft, but as a poetic gesture of care, memory, and environmental consciousness. Alexandra Kampel 24th July 2025
Miranda Vissers’ On the Way continues until 24th August 2025
