Blue Hour Throw by Merel Karhof and Yasmijn Karhof for the Textile Museum Tilburg
The Exceptional

About This Piece

Exceptional Contemporary Design

Blue Hour refers to the hour in which both dawn and twilight emit a natural blue light, reflecting a moment where the world opens and possibilities seem infinite. It is the space between what is and what could be. Both Yasmijn and Merel Karhof see the echo of this blue hour in the transition from waking to sleeping and vice versa. On the one hand, the throw can be used for its basic purpose, however, it also blends with the body into a sculptural object that resembles a landscape. During this transition, the object changes in stature.

The throw is produced at the Textile Museum in Tilburg. In collaboration, a technique has been developed which influences the folds of the fabric, reminiscent of mountain and valley folds used in origami. Tightly woven sections are alternated with flexible ones, in order to manipulate the shape of the throw in a specific way when someone lies underneath it.

Creator	Merel Karhof
Manufacturer	Textile Museum Tilburg
Design Period	From 2000
Year	2016
Production Period	2010 to Present
Country of Manufacture	Netherlands
Style	Contemporary
Detailed Condition	New — This is a new (unused) item of contemporary design.
Product Code	TFA-173389
Additional Information	Made to Order
Materials	Mohair
Color	Blue
Width	280 cm 280 cm
Depth	260 cm 260 cm

Shipping & Delivery

Dealer	Studio Merel Karhof
Manufacturing Time	We will contact you in regards to lead time when the order is placed.
Ships from	United Kingdom
Returns	Returns accepted within 14 days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Delivery Details

Delivery will be completed by a parcel service such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
You will receive a tracking number to monitor the status of your shipment.
Delivery will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine the packaging upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damaged packaging, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note, take pictures, and—if the item inside shows damages—contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations regarding damaged packaging represents your acceptance of the completed order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Merel Karhof

Merel Karhof was born in Edam, the Netherlands in 1978. She studied in the Man and Leisure department at Design Academy Eindhoven, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree with honors in 2004. The following year she established Studio Merel Karhof in Amsterdam. In 2007, she began studying product design at the Royal College of Art in London; at the same time she started living and working alternately between London and Amsterdam. She earned her Master’s degree from the RCA in 2009.

Karhof’s designs are inspired by an ongoing dialogue with her surroundings. She frequently delves into everyday elements, such as the color of the water in Venice or the urban wind in Amsterdam. Her work is both research- and process-driven, and she often develops her own tools and products. Stand out projects to date include Wind Knitting Factory (2009), a wind-powered knitting machine that knits scarves; as well as Windworks (2013), a furniture collection made by the Wind Knitting Factory in collaboration with two windmills in the Netherlands’ Zaanse Schans area. Further, in 2015, she collaborated with artist Yasmijn Karhof and graphic designer Roosje Klap on the interdisciplinary project Blue Hour; inspired by its namesake, “the period during both dawn and twilight when a blue glow appears in the air,” the project consists of a film, a woven textile, and a book. In 2016, she collaborated with designer Marc Trotereau to create Shade Volume, a lightweight lighting system composed of objects that join two or more lampshades together to “sculpt light.”

To date, Karhof’s work has been included in exhibitions in London, Milan, Venice, and China. In 2011, the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, USA, purchased Wind Knitting Factory Harvest for its permanent collection. In 2012, she received a grant from the Netherlands-based DOEN Foundation, and in 2013, she was awarded a grant from Triodos Bank.