Eindhoven-based design studio BCXSY is currently presenting their latest project at the Tilburg Textile Museum, in The Netherlands, as part of the Turkish Red & More exhibition, which also features work by Studio Formafantasma, Lenneke Langenhuijsen, Merel Boers and Minale Maeda.

Browsing through the archives of the museum, Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto were struck by motifs such as artichokes, fruits, fish and shellfish, originating from the abundant spreads depicted in 17th-century Dutch painting.

Using the museum's TextielLab computer-controlled embroidery machine, the designers sought to make use of their research on the background, applications, similarities and differences between handmade- and machine-embroidery. "Embroidery on water-soluble background has particularly drawn our attention," state BCXSY, pointing out how "as once washed, only the embroidered parts remain, resembling lace-like elements. Stretching the technique's boundaries allowed us to reach results linking between the past and the present."

Thus, rich motifs inspired by 17th century Dutch depictions of still-life were embroidered onto pristine white table linen, using three-dimensional perspective grid-drawings that occasionally continue beyond the rim of the linen. "The white embroidered elements appear to be laying on, and at the same time, merge into the white fabric," state Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto.

The series of table-linens consists of a table-cloth, table-runner and placemats, alongside napkin-rings with attachable letters, which allow the addition of custom initials.