JUAN HARNIE

🎉 27/06/1993 - Belgium

EDUCATION

2014-2016
PXL/MAD-faculty, Hasselt (BE)
Master of Fine Arts: Object & Jewellery

2015-2016
Syntra, Tongeren (BE)
Goldsmithing and jewellery design

2011-2015
PXL/MAD-faculty, Hasselt (BE)
Bachelor of Fine Arts: Object & Jewellery

2007-2011
Sint-Lukas Art School, Brussels (BE)
Architectural & Interior Arts

MEET THE THE ARTIST!

Which materials do you enjoy working with the most, and why?

Textile is without a doubt the material I enjoy working with the most. It is a fluid and versatile medium that offers endless possibilities for experimentation. The sewing process itself is almost meditative, requiring both focus and patience. What fascinates me most is the challenge of transforming a flat piece of textile into a three-dimensional form. That interplay between softness, structure, and volume continues to inspire me.

For several years, I have been working extensively with handkerchiefs. Some I have bought, others I have found second-hand, and many have been given to me by people who no longer had a use for them. Every handkerchief has its own character and history. I often wonder who once owned it, where it came from, and what stories it carries. Those unknown histories make this material especially meaningful to me.

What is the one tool in your studio you couldn't live without?

My sewing machine is the most indispensable tool in my studio. It originally belonged to my mother, and for years I would borrow it whenever I needed it. Eventually, she realised how essential it had become to my work and decided to give it to me. Fortunately, she has since bought herself a new one.

Since I work extensively with textiles, I simply couldn't do without this machine. It has become an essential part of my creative process, and because of its history, it also carries a special sentimental value.

BEHIND THE PIECE!

MEND47 necklace
Handkerchiefs, cotton, silver, sewing thread, stuffing.

Each piece begins with carefully cutting the pattern from cotton fabric and handkerchiefs. The individual elements are then precisely trimmed to size and sewn together by hand.

The necklace chain is handmade and individually soldered, finished with a clasp and detailed with sewing thread.

Finally, the form is softly filled, and every component is carefully assembled and hand-sewn into the finished piece, combining textile techniques with handcrafted metalwork.

Did you know?
This piece marks the first time in many years that silver has been incorporated into his work. Handcrafting and soldering the metal elements rekindled his appreciation for working with metal, reminding her how much she enjoys the process. It has encouraged her to explore these techniques more often and to reintroduce metal as a recurring element in future pieces.

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS


  • 2026 Friedrich Becker Preis exhibition. Hanau (DE).
  • 2025 Full House - The Wearhouse, Amsterdam (NL).
  • 2025 BKV-Prize 2025 für Junges Kunsthandwerk. Munich (DE).
  • 2024 Tincal Lab Challenge 2024: Jewelry and freedom, Porto (PT).
  • 2024 Talente, Masters of the future 2024. Munich (DE). 
  • 2024 30 Years Object & Jewellery. PXL Hasselt (BE).
  • 2023 Missing Memories by Alliages.
  • 2023 Battle Of The Pins by precious Collective. Munich, (DE) & Lille (FR).
  • 2022 METALLOphone, Museum of Applied Arts and Design. Vilnius (LT).
  • 2021 Wolibo & Co group exhibition @ gallery Pont & Plas. Ghent (BE).
  • 2016 Triple Parade. Tianjin & Beijing (CN).
  • 2015 Marzee Graduate show. Nijmegen (NL).