For Larissa Schepers, art is not an end in itself, but a way to create connection. Through her textile works, she opens up conversations that might otherwise never be had. Together with her mother, she creates art that brings her closer to her roots—and, through that, closer to herself.
The collaboration between Larissa and her mother began from a desire to share something deeper. “It all started when I needed her help one day,” Larissa explains. That moment made her realize that creating together wasn’t just about making art—it was about the space it opened up between them. “There was suddenly silence and room. The noise disappeared while we worked, and it created space to talk about things that don’t usually come up between mother and daughter.” The process gives Larissa the opportunity to get to know her mother in a different way, while also connecting more deeply to her own inner world.
For Larissa, the act of making is more than learning technique—it’s a way to express unspoken stories and feelings. As she develops her creative ideas, her mother supports her with technical knowledge. They work closely together on an embroidery frame made of wooden beams with fabric stretched between them. Sitting less than half a meter apart, mother and daughter bring their designs to life.
The craft, passed down from generation to generation, allows Larissa to weave her mother’s knowledge of textiles into her own artistic practice. “I come up with the shape and materials, but at its heart, it’s about the exchange between generations,” she says.
The artworks Larissa creates with her mother are more than objects: they’re the spiritual embodiment of the conversations between mother and daughter. Beads—symbols of communication in many cultures through their meaning and color—become for her a way of connecting: to her past, to others, and to cultural traditions in which craft and ritual allow for communication and healing. “Every bead, every thread tells part of our story,” she says. “My mother was born in the Netherlands but has Indonesian roots. In these moments, I can really talk to her about culture and about what it was like to be a woman my age in her time.” These conversations deepen the understanding between generations and help Larissa uncover what coming home to her own identity means. “It’s part of my healing process as a bicultural woman,” she explains, “because I haven’t always paid attention to the part of me that isn’t Dutch. This process brings me closer to myself. I feel more complete. I realize now that I missed the part I couldn’t see before.”
Working with her mother not only helps Larissa understand her roots and cultural background more deeply—it also gives her the chance to continue her own exploration of identity. “I’m not there 100 percent yet, but the conversations I now have with my mother—through my art—are teaching me so much. At first, the connection to my roots came through my relationship with my mother. Now it goes much further, and I’m seeking that connection with the rest of my family, so I can learn more about myself and my culture.”
Although Larissa has always drawn inspiration from the outside world, her inner world is now her greatest source. “I’m learning what kind of woman my mother is, and how I differ from her. My mother has been shaped by Indisch zwijgen—a kind of silence around the past that is common in the Indo community. That silence has often kept her from sharing her own experiences and desires. But in our conversations, and now through the art we create together, she finally has the space to express herself. She had different opportunities than I did, but she gave me everything—even when she couldn’t or didn’t dare to take those chances for herself.”
Larissa understands that her mother’s background shaped her in different ways than her own life has. “My mother has always supported everything I wanted to do. She helped me form my own opinions, chase my dreams, and reach my goals. That wasn’t a given for her—she didn’t have the same freedoms or opportunities,” Larissa says.
The work they make together is Larissa’s way of giving something back for everything her mother has meant to her. “My work is about healing, about who I am, and about generational trauma—including the struggles my mother faced. She never imagined that the art would become about our conversations, and that there would be space for who she is, too. She’s allowed to dream now. She has something to say. Her story matters too,” says Larissa.
For now, her mother helps with the making process, but Larissa hopes it will evolve into a full co-creation. “The pieces in the Homecoming exhibition are a series of works that my mother and I created together—and they could grow into a family. They’re complete, but the series will keep evolving along with my career, just like the stories we share. The pieces we make are an extension of our conversations, our bond, and my own growth as a woman. Each time we create something new, a different conversation unfolds. And my mother and I—we’re far from finished talking.”
Niemandsland is featured in Homecoming, an exhibition curated by Alien Mag at the Van Abbemuseum, on view from 28 June to 7 December 2025.
