Frans Dijkmeijer: The Silent Pioneer ​
​Triennale Milano, 20–26 April

In the first public presentation of selected pieces from Frans Dijkmeijer’s vast archive, the exhibition traces a practice defined by systematic exploration, technical mastery and artistic sensitivity – and the quiet brilliance of the man behind it. Structured in six chapters of his work, alongside contemporary interpretations by three artists, it invites visitors to read his archive not only as a record of work, but as a language of making.

Born in the Netherlands, Frans Dijkmeijer studied at the Academy of Industrial Design in Eindhoven before working for legacy textile brands. Devoted to textile research, he worked with a meticulous understanding of fibres, structures and techniques, positioning himself as a mediator between technical construction and aesthetic articulation. From the fundamental ground rules of weaving, he pursued new structural ideas through endless non-identical repeats, embracing repetition as a method of discovery. A pioneer in integrating computer technology into weaving processes, he translated a traditional handcraft into an industrial design culture.

“Throughout his life, Frans Dijkmeijer experimented tirelessly at the loom, generating an extraordinary range of textiles, many of which entered Kvadrat’s catalogue through his collaboration with colour master Giulio Ridolfo. Structured in chapters — Systems, Yarn, Movement, Pattern, Grids, Relief — the exhibition explores the method, obsessions, approaches and values underlying Dijkmeijer’s oeuvre. His applied investigation of the loom produced formidable experimental outcomes.”
​- Marco Sammicheli, Curator, Triennale Milano

Dijkmeijer’s relationship with Kvadrat began in 1992, leading to a substantial body of innovative upholstery textiles. From the 1990s onwards, his work was intrinsically linked to Kvadrat. He shared his iterative compositions, yarn trials, loom studies, notes, objects and photographs with Kvadrat, resulting in defining textiles for the company’s collection. In 1999, a close partnership with Italian colour master Giulio Ridolfo brought a chromatic sensibility to Dijkmeijer’s structural qualities, from Steelcut 3 and Colline 2 to the more recent Twisted Flower, launching during Salone del Mobile 2026. After his death in 2011, Frans Dijkmeijer’s extraordinary archive was donated to Kvadrat and remains an enduring resource.

“The archive remains an inexhaustible resource for Kvadrat, with thousands of stepping stones for future textile development. Dijkmeijer did not chase seasons or trends; his focus was the magic of construction, which is why his work endures as solid, timeless and consistent.
​By sharing his archive publicly, we hope to offer a view into the magic of textile constructions and surfaces that we encounter every day and inscribe Frans Dijkmeijer both within Kvadrat’s cultural heritage and European design history.”
​- Anders Byriel, CEO of Kvadrat, and Mette Bendix, Partner and Director of Kvadrat

His legacy is also the point of departure for three artists featured in the exhibition – Renick Bell, Valentina Furian and Francesco Tosini – invited to imagine a contemporary reinterpretation of his practice. Through electronic music, computer graphics, digital animation and video art, their installations expand upon key creative attitudes in Dijkmeijer’s work, including botany, repetition, rhythm, pattern and surface.

“For Kvadrat, this exhibition represents both gratitude and responsibility. In the 1990s, as Kvadrat broadened its collaborations beyond a Scandinavian context, Frans Dijkmeijer became central to the international outlook we sought — built on culture, connection and craft.
​He quietly helped shape our textile culture through a discipline of repetition, small adjustments and radical patience. His plain white envelopes, filled with samples, notes, yarns and ideas, were more than deliveries: they were invitations to imagine what textiles could be.”
​- Anders Byriel, CEO, and Mette Bendix, Partner and Director of Kvadrat

Credits

A project by: Kvadrat
​Curated by: Marco Sammicheli
​Exhibition design: Jacob Manz
​With special thanks to: the Dijkmeijer family

Dates & Venue

Monday 20 April ​
​Press day, 10:30 am – 9:00 pm

On view: 20–26 April, 10:30 am – 9:00 pm

Triennale Milano ​
​Viale Alemagna 6 ​
​20121 Milan ​
​Italy

Notes to Editors

About Frans Dijkmeijer

Born in the Netherlands, Frans Dijkmeijer (1936–2011) was a master weaver and textile designer. He studied at the Academy of Industrial Design in Eindhoven before working for legacy textile brands.

Dijkmeijer’s relationship with Kvadrat began in 1992, leading to a substantial body of innovative upholstery textiles, including Colline, Vale, Ripple, Steelcut, Steelcut Trio and Twisted Flower.

The possibilities of materials and weaving techniques were his greatest source of inspiration. He perceived materials, colours and textures as an organic whole: as with clouds, fire or water, a single change in the weaving process could transform the overall expression of a textile.

Achieving harmony between these elements was fundamental to his designs. His studio functioned as a laboratory where, through experimenting with yarn types and weaving methods, he constantly sought solutions to problems of his own creation.

Characteristic of his textiles is the way they combine extreme technical complexity with an almost mathematical and logical simplicity.

Beyond the loom, Dijkmeijer’s home and studio in Albi, France, set within a castle, offered a deeply personal landscape for his creative life. There, the boundaries between studio, dwelling and garden dissolved into a single environment, shaped by his vast collections of objects, plants, furnishings, music and art.

Marked by recurring forms and subtle variations, this personal world resonated closely with his method of non-identical repeats at the loom.

About Marco Sammicheli

Marco Sammicheli is Curator of Design, Fashion and Craft and Director of the Museo del Design Italiano at Triennale Milano.

Since 2018, he has also served as the institution’s representative to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris.

He has curated exhibitions across Europe, Latin America and Asia and authored essays and publications for major cultural institutions.

About Stine Find Osther

Stine Find Osther is VP of Design at Kvadrat, leading the creative direction of the Kvadrat Core collection and advising across other product categories and brands within the Kvadrat Group.

She combines in-depth technical textile knowledge with creativity to develop timeless textiles and collaborates with external creatives across the art and design world.

“I see my role as a translator between our external creative collaborators and our production units.” - Stine Find Osther

About Giulio Ridolfo

Designer Giulio Ridolfo uses colour to contextualise design and storytelling; his approach is rooted in observation, materiality and imagination.

At Kvadrat, he brings a warm, southern sensibility to the cool clarity of Nordic design.

His colour creations are born from poetic vision and continuous iterations that enable him to capture colour atmospheres in textiles.

About Triennale Milano

Since 1923, Triennale Milano, one of the world’s leading cultural institutions, has addressed the challenges of the contemporary world and promoted culture as a means of encounter through the languages of design, architecture and the visual and performing arts.