Exhibition 'Willy Looyen: The Form Presence Takes' in Museum van de Vrouw
At the heart of The Form Presence Takes are people who speak out and stand up for issues such as human rights, human dignity, courage and social responsibility. Willy Looyen portrays, among others, female politicians, women who have shaped public debate, and human rights defenders.
Their faces become more than images: they become carriers of conviction and of the significance these individuals embody. This idea takes shape in portraits created on recycled fabrics and built up through multiple layers of screen printing, embroidery and textile elements. The combination of techniques and materials gives the works a layered character and reveals what lies behind a face.
Textiles are more than a surface. They carry traces of use, vulnerability and time, bringing together different layers of meaning. In the art series ‘People of Our Time’ and ‘Stemmen die blijven’, Looyen explores how a portrait can continue to transform. Faces are reworked, cut out, rearranged and combined with embroidered sections, bands and ribbons. Sometimes the portrait remains central; at other times, it becomes part of a larger whole.
In this way, the portrait gradually shifts from representation to presence. A face becomes a voice, a conviction, or a reminder of the courage it takes to speak out.
Visitors are warmly invited to experience Willy Looyen: The Form Presence Takes at the Museum van de Vrouw, from 22 November 2026 through 4 April 2027.
