Hirtenmantel is part of the public art exhibition Kontraste in Brig, Switzerland. A contemplation on the local shepherds’ culture and their interconnection with the natural world, which addresses the link between the shepherd, the sheep and their habitat. The hand-felted textile resembles a traditional Iranian shepherd’s coat of natural white and black wool. The red, green and blue marks reflect the coloured markings used to distinguish different herds, which often mingle in the alpine environment. The cloak reminds the shepherd of the possibilities of the wool as a material and its link to their livelihood, inspiring them to become makers.