Dieuwke Oosterbosch
I want to give positivity and share a feeling of togetherness.
Dieuwke Oosterbosch (2001, Netherlands) creates textile works that grow out of personal conversations and shared reflections on care and connection. Her project We Do Care; Gifting Fabrics begins with a simple question about what it means to give. Taken from personal one-on-one conversations, each response is translated into a hand-embroidered fabric, where words, symbols, and gestures take on a tangible form. These works often emerge from concerns about increasing individualism and a desire to strengthen a sense of togetherness. Music also plays an important role in her approach, as a way of listening, sharing, and connecting.
Oosterbosch’s practice centres on exchange and the value of small gestures. Each fabric consists of two layers: one holds the participant’s gift or wish, while the other reflects the conversation itself as her response. Designed to be folded and carried, the works continue to move between people, allowing stories to travel and connect. Her work shows how giving can be a simple but meaningful act, rooted in attention, care, and shared experience.
