Six questions for
Sam Druant

How do you describe your own art practice?

My artistic practice is rooted in exploring feminist themes through alternative narratives and magical thinking. I often begin with personal experiences, which expand and transform as they intersect with broader societal challenges, ultimately evolving into works that aspire to connect with audiences. Drawing inspiration from multiple writers and thinkers like Ursula K. Le Guin’s ideas of the carrier bag and gathering or the hatchery of Jennifer Bloomer, I reimagine knowledge and storytelling to challenge conventional structures.

Textiles are at the heart of my practice. I embrace their European historical association with femininity and the domestic sphere, using this tension to craft layered narratives about what it means to be a woman today. My works often take the form of colorful, intricate tapestries accompanied by prose or poetry, where material and text form a dialogue. Art and writing are my chosen tools to weave together stories, materials, and ideas.

Alongside this artistic practice, I want to transparently share references, footnotes and voices which inspire me. I aim to do so by hosting moments and collective readings, where these knowledges can be encountered by the public, creating spaces for relational aesthetics. With these engagements, I hope to collectively imagine alternative worlds and ways of living on earth.

I hold a BA and MA in Textile Design from LUCA School of Arts Ghent and an MFA in Fine Arts from HDK-Valand University of Gothenburg, where I expanded my textile-based practice into a research-driven approach.

Which question or theme is central in your work?

How do you move through a world that makes you uneasy with your body? This unease comes from lingering gazes and uninvited touches, working expectations 24h a day pushed over a 28 day body. A constant internal flow of voices of complaint, making us question ourselves while we need to question who molded this standard we’re trying to fit in.

The works are both an escape of these gendered forms of violence and a reclaiming of the body through the process of metamorphosis. A combination of materials which research tactility alongside softness and imagery that leans into fantasy.

What was your first experience with art?

My parents are both creative so at home there were always some surfaces and materials around to play with. We used to go to a lot of exhibitions and during school holidays I would always do workshops in museums like MoMu or KMSKA in Antwerp. There was art around as long as I can recall, a privilege I am very grateful for.

What is your greatest source of inspiration?

I’m lucky to be surrounded by such talented and passionate friends, each of them with their own expertise and interests. This means there is a constant flow of inspiring conversations happening around me about arts, society, politics, friendship, trinkets and love.

What do you need in order to create your work?

Time to soak up information, materials, to form thoughts and sketch and then a tight deadline to crystallise these into works.

Long term collaborators like Garden Loops and Maria Hardin.
Critical friends like Lina Ejdaa, Lina Van Hulle and Yana Deliyska.
My supportive family and partner.

What work or artist has most recently surprised you?

Oh that’s so hard, I really enjoyed ‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’ which is not a recent film but I’ve only recently watched it. The mesmerising work of Hussein Shikha keeps me surprised, I’m always curious what he’s going to do next. Julia Tröcher makes spellbinding art. The amazing photography of Lina Van Hulle, which just keeps getting better. The multifaceted practice of Lina Ejdaa, where research into identity and society twines together beautifully. I’m in constant awe of the talent of others.