Hoed van rood stro, met gevlochten band van blauwe stro c. 1960 - 1997

This red straw hat with a blue woven band was made by Tim Bönig, and it has a lovely homemade quality to it. There's something about the materiality here that really strikes me, especially the way the straw is woven and the contrast of the smooth red against the textured blue band. It’s so interesting how the texture of the straw invites you to look closer, almost as if you could feel the ridges and patterns. I imagine the weaving process must have been very labor intensive, and I like the subtle imperfections in the weave because they give the piece a kind of depth and humanity. It reminds me a bit of some of the work of Anni Albers, who was interested in the tactility of materials and the possibilities of weaving. This hat is a conversation between different kinds of making, with an emphasis on the hands-on and the personal. It’s a reminder that art can be found in unexpected places, and that even the simplest of objects can be a source of beauty and inspiration.