weefkunst

Weefkunst, or weaving art, denotes the practice and study of weaving as an artistic medium. It encompasses the design, creation, and finishing of woven textiles, including both functional fabrics and decorative wall hangings or tapestries. Weavers work with warp and weft on looms—hand-operated, treadle-powered, or industrial—using a range of structures such as plain weave, twill, satin, and more complex patterns created with jacquard or supplementary weft techniques.

Historically, weaving is among the oldest crafts, with evidence from ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Americas. In Europe, weaving evolved from domestic practice into a professional art form, with guilds, trade networks, and innovations such as the Jacquard loom in the early 19th century, enabling programmable patterns. Tapestry weaving developed as a major art form in medieval and early modern Europe, while industrialization expanded production and new design possibilities.

Contemporary weefkunst expands beyond utilitarian textiles to experimental and installation works. Artists may combine traditional loom work with modern materials, digital design, dye chemistry, and mixed media. The field intersects with fiber art, fashion, and interior design, and is taught in art schools and craft programs around the world. Notable figures in weaving art include Anni Albers and Gunta Stölzl of the Bauhaus movement, as well as later practitioners who explore color, form, and materiality.