*OPEN CALL*
Textile Biennial 2027 | Colonial Patterns
SUBMISSION UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST, 12.00 UUR

Colonial patterns are all around us. They are visible in the clothing we wear, the materials and fabrics we use, the trade routes that have shaped our world, and the stories woven into textiles. They live on in motifs, techniques, traditions, and production processes, but also in power relations, memories, and identities.

APPLICATIONS ARE NO LONGER POSSIBLE

For this edition of the Textile Biennial, we invite (inter)national artists to reflect on the theme of Colonial Patterns from their perspective and own practice. We consciously view patterns in a broad sense: as a decorative motif, as repetition, as a social or historical system, as a visible structure, and as an invisible legacy.

A possible angle is the relationship between textiles and colonialism from various perspectives. Consider the role of trade, raw materials, and labor; cultural exchange and appropriation; identity and migration; heritage and memory; resistance and decolonial perspectives; and the lasting impact of colonial structures on the contemporary textile and fashion world.

Your approach can be personal, societal, political, poetic, or speculative. The work can focus on visible patterns in textiles, but also on invisible structures that still shape our world. In this context, textiles take center stage as carriers of stories, craftsmanship, symbolism, and societal change.

We are interested in works that ask questions, make new stories visible, and offer space for encounter, dialogue, and reflection. The Textile Biennial 2027 | Colonial patterns takes place from July 11 to November 21. We follow the BKNL guidelines regarding artist fees.

Submission
You can submit your proposal from September 1st at 12:00 PM to October 1st at 12:00 PM. Your submission includes:

• An answer to the following questions:
  • What is the work about? (max 500 words)
  • How does your work fit into the theme 'colonial patterns'? (max 300 words)
  • What is the role or significance of textiles in the work? (max 300 words)
• A minimum of 1 to a maximum of 3 photos of the work (max 10 MB per photo) 

Only proposals via the form on this website will be considered. Submitting a proposal does not automatically mean that the work will be included in the exhibition. The artistic team of Museum Rijswijk makes the final selection based on the quality of the works, the way textiles are used in the work, and suitability in relation to the theme.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the Open Call also for international artists? Yes, the biennial at Museum Rijswijk is an international exhibition. Artists from all countries can submit a proposal.
• Does the work have to be finished already, or can I also submit a proposal? When selecting artists/artworks for the biennial, the museum bases its selection on existing works of demonstrable quality, the use of textiles in the work, and a relationship to the theme.
• How large is the space in which the works are exhibited? Museum Rijswijk has various rooms. The layout of the exhibition is only determined once all 20 artists and works have been selected. Therefore, we cannot say anything in advance about the available space(s). Our experience is that we can always reach a solution with selected artists.
• Are transport costs reimbursed? Yes, transport and the associated costs are handled by Museum Rijswijk and are always planned in consultation with the artist.