Visualizing the Divine Feminine
by Femke van Gemert and Museum Embassy Of The Free Mind
Uncover the forgotten faces of the divine feminine, and weave, write, or draw your own vision into existence.
The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica holds centuries of images, texts, and artworks depicting the divine feminine, nearly all created by men. In this hands-on workshop, hosted at one of Amsterdam's most extraordinary private libraries, you are invited to explore what the divine feminine means to you.
The afternoon begins with a short presentation led by our writer and curator Natalie Koch, drawing from selected works in the museum's collection. From there, textile artist Femke van Gemert introduces the history of female goddesses throughout the ages, their visual language of color and symbolism, and shares her own artistic practice — expressing themes through textile, with works on display in the museum itself.
Then it's your turn. Using provided fabrics alongside personal textile or clothing remnants you bring from home, you'll create your own textile composition, abstract or figurative, intimate or expansive. No experience needed. By the end of the afternoon, you leave with a finished artwork: your personal, tactile vision of the divine feminine.
Sustainability is woven into the process, repurposed, and personal materials give each piece its own story.
Event Details
Program:
14:00 | Introduction by Natalie Koch
14:15 | Presentation on Divine Feminine by Femke van Gemert
15:15 | Creative session: make your textile composition
17:00 | Sharing circle & closing
Date: Friday, May 1
Location: Garden House, Embassy of the Free Mind
Ticket Price: €60
About the Hosts
Natalie Koch studied musicology at Utrecht University and worked as a music journalist and editor, among other things. Both her novel "Streken," her debut in 2006, and her novel "De sterren stil" (2013) were longlisted for the Libris Literature Prize. She also wrote the popular and acclaimed "Verborgen Universiteit" trilogy, for which she spent a period living in London. Currently, she works as the curator for the BPH book collection of the Embassy of the Free Mind.
Femke van Gemert is a textile artist and researcher whose work explores the intersection of spirituality, gender, and material culture. Drawing on years of study into depictions of the divine feminine across history and cultures, she creates layered textile works that invite reflection on identity, symbolism, and the sacred.
Her practice is rooted in sustainability. Working with repurposed fabrics, inherited cloth, and found materials to give new life to overlooked stories. She has exhibited widely and leads workshops that combine artistic making with deeper cultural and philosophical inquiry. In her sessions, no prior experience is needed, only curiosity and a willingness to engage with big questions through small, tactile gestures.