Description
Hope Show is a large sculpture created for the Wool March, a movement raising awareness for the preservation of herding, sheep, and the wool produced by this system. Mobile grazing as a sustainable way of working, is under pressure; due to subsidy cuts and high costs, dozens of flocks cease to exist every year. That is why Cynthia Hathaway created the Wool March — a journey starting on Texel and passing through cities, villages, and the countryside, ultimately ending in the political heart of Europe: Brussels. There, we bring our message to the attention of Members of the European Parliament.
For years, I have received wool from Dutch shepherds — always freely given, with nothing expected in return. This was the perfect moment to thank them. I created an experimental, interactive sculpture especially for the Wool March. Throughout the journey, others added small handmade objects to the sculpture, thereby documenting our travels - drawings of heather, windchimes made of scrap metal and grass crochets. I carry this evolving sculpture with me during the march, visualizing our common goal — preserving the tradition of herding and Dutch sheep flocks.
This sculpture was presented during the Wool March between Texel and Brussels (2026.08.22 – 2026.10.13)
Materials: felted wool from Dutch sheep, Dutch dye plants, sheet metal and wood.
Size: 2.70 m x 1.80 m
* With additions by Tommaso Bertuccelli, Georgina Baker Suarez, Hidde de Cock, Amélie Ober, Aart Schillings, Mihaela Spiegl, Luke Sweere, Hongyang Zhang, Sylvia van den Ouwelant, Maria Fraaije and Floor Smit Sabelis.
Description
Hope Show is a large wool sculpture created for the Wool March, a movement raising awareness for the preservation of herding, sheep, and the wool produced by this system. Mobile grazing as a sustainable way of working, is under pressure; due to subsidy cuts and high costs, dozens of flocks cease to exist every year. That is why the Wool March was created — a journey starting on Texel and passing through cities, villages, and the countryside, ultimately ending in the political heart of Europe: Brussels. There, we bring our message to the attention of Members of the European Parliament.
For years, I have received wool from Dutch shepherds — always freely given, with nothing expected in return. This was the perfect moment to thank them. I created an experimental, interactive sculpture especially for the Wool March. Throughout the journey, others added small handmade objects to the sculpture, thereby documenting our travels - drawings of heather, windchimes made of scrap metal and grass crochets. I carry this evolving sculpture with me during the march, visualizing our common goal — preserving the tradition of herding and Dutch sheep flocks.
Materials: felted wool from Dutch sheep, Dutch dye plants, sheet metal and wood.
Size: 2.70 m x 1.80 m
* With additions by Tommaso Bertuccelli, Georgina Baker Suarez, Hidde de Cock, Amélie Ober, Aart Schillings, Mihaela Spiegl, Luke Sweere,H ongyang Zhang, Sylvia van den Ouwelant, Maria Fraaije and Floor Smit Sabelis.