Alfhild Sarah Külper

Alfhild Külper is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose practice explores the tactile and emotional potential of textile. Born in Sweden and based in Amsterdam, her work operates at the intersection of art, design, and material research. With a background in fashion and textile design, she brings a sensitivity to form, surface, and process that informs her current practice.

Külper studied at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, and developed her early career within the fashion industry, including a decade as Head of Design at Viktor & Rolf. This experience continues to influence her approach, particularly in her attention to detail, construction, and the expressive capacity of materials. Since establishing her independent practice in 2021, she has focused on developing textile-based works that extend beyond conventional applications.

Her work is characterized by the use of tufting, embroidery, and sculptural textile techniques. Through layering and manipulation, she creates compositions that resemble abstracted landscapes, where texture, colour, and form evoke memory and emotion. These works are both visual and tactile, inviting a closer engagement with surface and material.

Sustainability is a central aspect of her practice. Külper works primarily with leftover wool sourced from textile industries, reusing materials that would otherwise be discarded. By combining traditional techniques with a contemporary approach, she transforms these remnants into new forms, emphasizing both material value and continuity. This process reflects a broader interest in care, transformation, and the lifecycle of materials.

Her approach is intuitive and process-driven, allowing each work to develop through making rather than predetermined design. Imperfection and variation are embraced as part of the material language, contributing to the expressive and organic quality of her pieces. Through this method, Külper creates works that balance softness and structure, offering a physical and visual counterpoint to increasingly digital environments.

Her work has been exhibited internationally and presented within gallery and design contexts. In addition, it has been featured in publications including Financial Times, The Sunday Times, PIN-UP, Surface, Wired, and Architectural Digest, reflecting the broader relevance of her practice within contemporary art and design.

Education

• Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, Bachelor of Arts, First Class Honours (2007–2011)
• Tillskärarakademien, Stockholm, School of Tailoring and Textiles (2005–2006)

Collections

• Rijksmuseum Muiderslot, Muiden, the Netherlands