Azzurra Ruimschotel

Beye’āyinetu - The cultural cohesion in me

Azzurra Ruimschotel often falls in love quickly, usually sparked by a sudden interest or challenge. This curiosity leads her to research and explore a subject deeply, while asking herself, the subject, and others critical questions along the way. She consciously chooses materials, techniques, and forms that connect to the central concept or feeling. Her creative process is intuitive and sensory: although she begins with a general plan, she leaves room for what her senses tell her. The material and her body guide her decisions. Often, her work carries a deeper meaning connected to principles and ideas she values, allowing a fleeting fascination to grow into something deeper.

‘Beye’āyinetu’ means “diverse” or “different” in Amharic and is used in Eritrea and Ethiopia to describe a combination of varying characteristics and qualities. ‘Beye’āyinetu’ is also the name of a beloved national dish, consisting of an assortment of flavours, textures, and ingredients that together form a harmonious whole.

This textile piece is Azzurra’s ‘Beye’āyinetu’. It is diverse both literally, through its use of different fabrics, colours, shapes, and techniques, and figuratively, as a collection of personal and collective stories inspired by her family, surroundings, and history.

In her search for cultural identity, Dutch, Indonesian, Italian, and Eritrean-Ethiopian cultures form the foundation of these stories, with influences from Arab and Surinamese-Creole cultures. The work visualises how cultures merge and evolve into new cultural elements, while honouring their origins and creating space for further growth and connection in the future.