HOSTING ENSEMBLE
CREATING, CURATING AND COMMISSIONING EMBODIED OBJECTS THAT INVITE GESTURES CULTIVATING A STATE OF BEING WITH ART.
“Things obtain their resonant quality by being embedded in the totality of life, if they behold their agency and therefore can affect you in an unexpected way.”
Hartmut Rosa, Resonance
From the ancient, grounding act of washing one’s hands, to the curved path that forms a space of transition, to the edible ikebana offering a contemporary gesture of communion and parting — each of these embodied forms invites us, through the body, into inner stillness. When embedded within a gathering, an art institution, or the architecture of daily life, they become part of a living constellation - inviting us to attune our senses to the environment and to the art we encounter.
Bringing philosophy into practice, these objects draw from poetic, spiritual, and cultural traditions that guide us into presence and stillness. They are grounded in ancient gestures, yet shaped by contemporary life.
Born from a desire to cultivate attention and inner space, and developed in close collaboration with craftspeople and artists, each object comes into being through a process of care and creative exploration. They hold presence and express character. They invite gestures of slowness, reflection, and quiet interaction — becoming active participants in the spaces they inhabit, resonating through their embeddedness in life.
These performing objects are created for private residences and art institutions. They may be embedded into the fabric of a space, curated for a specific occasion, or become part of a Hosting Ensemble - either within the host institution or as part of my own practice.
For each occasion, I curate, create and/or commission a Hosting Ensemble composed of embodied objects and creative collaborators. Every member is selected through my philosophy of Dailyvote — the belief that each act of attention, time, or support is a vote for the world we wish to be part of. When an object or gesture is born of genuine intention and nurtured with care, it carries presence and may touch us in subtle, unexpected ways.
The Hosting Ensemble brings the space into resonance with ourselves, with the art, and with one another.
I foster long-term relationships with both the collaborators and the objects that form the Hosting Ensemble. Over time, the ensemble evolves by practice, shared insight, and the slow unfolding of attention. New members are invited, created, or commissioned as the practice grows.
Inspired by the Japanese tea masters - among the greatest commissioners of the arts - I envision the Hosting Ensemble as a regenerative system: one that allows objects and gestures to perform, to be lived with, and to become embedded in the architecture of our lives.
A sense of wandering through the woods is brought forth by a rhythm that embraces asymmetry, multiple paths to follow, and hidden doors and cabinets. Even after years, it continues to allow for a playful delight.
The semi-transparent sliding doors bring lightness. Referencing both ancient and contemporary Japanese traditions, they align with the asymmetrical wooden rhythm of the structure of the space.
The curved bookshelves stretch beyond defined boundaries, gently enclosed by the sliding doors. The textured plexiglass offers a subtle glimpse into their length. Their forms are inspired by the smooth rocks along the Norwegian coast.
Architectural grit by
Studio Nauta
Refinement & manufactured by
Atelier Ternier
Concept Wandering
Design sliding doors & bookshelves Stephanie.
WANDERING
“The roji, the garden path from the machiai to the tea-room, signified the first stage of mediation, - the passage into self-illumination.”
The book of Tea, Okakura Kakuzo
The Way is a woollen path that forms a transition space toward inner silence — a preparation for encountering art. Born from my research into hosting, the affective space of the Teshima Museum, and the philosophy behind the Japanese tea ceremony, it is an ode to the deepening of my artistic practice. Inspired by the roji, the garden path toward the tea room, The Way connects my grounding roots on the Norwegian coast with dynamic contemporary art spaces.
The curved, uneven forms of The Way are drawn from the southern coast of Norway, where I feel most rooted. This is the land where sheep graze, where my family has lived for generations, where the women led through textile art, and where the wool was spun. Made from the final batch of undyed wool, each thread reflects the textures and natural tones of the land. With varied spinning, soft edges, and stepping stones, The Way invites slowness, play, and presence. It is both a physical and symbolic space of transition.
The Way is a seven-meter-long crooked path formed by six gestures of hosting: Inviting, Guiding, Receiving, Stepping Stone, Embodying, and Ensemble. These began as calligraphic sketches made in a mindful state and evolved through drawings, life-sized cutouts, and digital illustrations inspired by the Norwegian landscape. The carpets were tufted by tufting master Karen Zeedijk at the Textile Museum in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The six elements can be reconfigured, with the first arrangement designed for the hallway of Buro Stedelijk.
I have come to understand that the extent to which artworks touch us emerges from the artist's genuine intention and the quality of connection between the artist and the work. This same principle applies to hosting. Resonance brings forth resonance. I see it as essential to work with - to dailyvote for - the materials, gestures, people, and institutions that resonate closely with me. These elements become integral to The Way, shaping each encounter.
I hope guests will feel this embrace.
The Way welcomes guests by embodying schoonheid - an alignment of inner and outer beauty - without drawing attention to itself. No titles or texts are displayed on-site; contextual information is available online for those who seek it.
The Way is now part of my hosting ensemble. It hosted the Theodora Niemeijer Prize 2025 at the Stedelijk Museum, the transitional space for the exhibition I must still grow in the dark at Buro Stedelijk in June 2025, and the monthly intimate EMBED series. It remains curious to become a transition space for future art encounters. A final batch of wool remains, ready to be created into a smaller, made-to-order path - for those who feel called to walk The Way.
THE WAY
WASHING HANDS,
AS A PRAYER
A sculpture invites the ancient gesture of washing hands to become a moment of presence, a prayer within the rhythm of daily life. Sharing this intention, and brought to life with great care by the hands of May Liok, the sculpture came into being through a process that transcended our individual contributions. It now holds a quiet presence in our home studio and forms part of the hosting ensemble for the art ceremonies held there.
Commission by
Stephanie Schuitemaker
Sculpted by
May Liok
TEXTILE PARTITIONS
In Japan, sliding paper doors create a space with sensitivity and consideration, allowing inner and outer environments to breathe into one another. They invite an awareness of presence and boundaries that are gentle and respectful.
This textile partition began as an inquiry into how to bring forth such a way of being within contemporary life. What would it mean to design spaces that nurture attentiveness and openness? How would it feel to be held by textiles that allow light and movement to pass through?
The aluminium partition, designed by Johannes Offerhaus, carries this intention. Acting like an aorta, it connects the various wooden blocks of our home and forms both intimate and open spaces. It holds layers of textiles and sliding doors, and integrates a lighting system by Viabizzuno that illuminates the fabrics.
More than a design element, the partition has quietly transformed how we are with one another. It has become part of our daily rhythm, attuned to the shifting light and the seasons around us.
Commission by
Stephanie Schuitemaker
Design by
Johannes Offerhaus
