Joana Schneider

Joana Schneider (b. 1990, Germany) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the relationship between textile, body, and environment. Born in Munich, at the foot of the Alps, and based in the Netherlands, her practice is rooted in material experimentation and the development of tactile, sculptural forms. Early encounters with German Expressionism, particularly the work of Gabriele Münter and the Blaue Reiter group, together with a lifelong fascination for traditional craftsmanship, continue to inform her visual language. Through installations and objects, she investigates how natural and man-made materials can be transformed into new visual and sensory experiences.

Central to Schneider's work is a strong engagement with sustainability and material reuse. She works with rescued yarn, discarded ropes from the fishing industry, and recycled fibers, combining these with organic materials to create three-dimensional textile structures. By repurposing these elements, she not only redefines their function but also emphasizes the potential of materials that would otherwise be overlooked.

Her process is informed by traditional techniques, including netmaking and reed roof thatching, which she reinterprets within a contemporary context. After initially studying fashion at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, Schneider shifted her focus to textile, driven by a fascination with material itself rather than garment construction. Today, she approaches rope and textile as a means of drawing in space, building sculptural forms through knotting, coiling, wrapping, and dyeing. These methods contribute to the structural and visual qualities of her work, resulting in pieces that balance craftsmanship with experimentation while creating a dialogue between historical practices and present-day concerns.

Her work often takes on organic, bodily forms, where softness, movement, and structure interact. These sculptural pieces evoke associations with the human body, plant life, and natural growth, while remaining abstract and open to interpretation. Through this ambiguity, Schneider explores themes of femininity, memory, and perception, while reflecting on the evolving relationship between nature and human intervention. Equally important is her interest in preserving and revaluing textile craftsmanship, particularly forms of manual labor that have historically been associated with domestic and women's work.

Schneider's practice is intuitive and process-driven, with each work developing through interaction with material rather than a fixed design. This results in compositions that feel both deliberate and evolving, where texture and form remain central. Increasingly, her installations invite viewers to enter immersive, self-contained environments, transforming textile into a spatial medium capable of constructing entire worlds rather than simply occupying space.

She has been exhibited internationally and is included in both museum and private collections. In 2025, she presented her first solo exhibition at the Groninger Museum, marking an important moment in her practice. Her work has also been recognized within broader discussions of contemporary textile art.

Education

• Royal Academy of Art (KABK), The Hague – Bachelor’s degree, Textile
• Recipient of the Keep an Eye Textile & Fashion Award

Collections

• Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
• Stedelijk Museum, Schiedam
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands
• Netcompany
• Museum JAN, Amstelveen
• CODA Museum, Apeldoorn
• TextielMuseum, Tilburg
• Groninger Museum
• FENIX Migration Museum (Landverhuizersmuseum), Rotterdam
• Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Aalborg
• De Domijnen, Sittard
• Fondazione D’ARC
• Lakeside Collection (Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen)
• ASR
• Deloitte
• Blue Knowledge Art Collection
• Meijers Assurantiën
• DELA