What is your art practice about, and what is the trigger for you to create a new work?
"In my art practice, I work in the tension between historical contexts and influences that exert a force on the body, leaving their traces within it. Due to a prolonged illness, I developed the hyperaesthetic-emotional syndrome (HES), which means I have a physical sensitivity to places with a turbulent or violent history. In such locations, I can become dizzy, start shivering, or even faint. An experience like this is the trigger for me to begin researching the history of such a location. This research forms the foundational layer for a new artwork. Thus, my body functions as an artistic compass in my creative process."
How would you describe your works?
"My drawings tend towards the abstract and can appear somewhat mysterious, but in reality, I'm taking inventory of signs that reveal themselves within my own body. Through investigation, I attempt to give these signs meaning. I use various materials: pencil, acrylic paint, photo prints, and pemba doti (a white clay). I build my drawings in layers, often using human figures as a foundation upon which these layers manifest. My drawings are a whirlwind of various types of information. I want them to ultimately behave like an aura, and in that way, tell stories within a single image about things like character, history, and spirituality. I refer to my social sculptures as they use a visual language that is often easier to appreciate without requiring extra explanation. I label these works as social sculptures because the images primarily concern the relationships and behaviors of people. I want us to learn from history and think constructively about it, or else it will be our collective downfall."
How are you currently preparing for Noorderzon, and what does the talent program Noorderzon ART entail?
"Every year, an artist is selected who gets the opportunity to create a work in the public space at the Noorderzon Festival. During this process, I am guided by Kunstpunt up to the realization of the artwork. I'm allowed to create a large, temporary installation that can also be used in other places after the festival ends. Approximately one month is allocated for each step in the development process. Currently, I'm still in the initial phase, creating many sketches and doing research. One of the themes for this assignment was that the subject of the artwork could relate to climate issues, which naturally resonates in my work because I believe in Winti. One of the fundamental principles of Winti is that we believe everything in the world has a soul. Therefore, we have great respect for nature. Applying this perspective in my life and work quickly challenges and problematizes Western thinking."
What does a project like this offer you as an artist that you wouldn't typically be able to do?
"I want to offer people a different perspective through my work. At Noorderzon, I have access to a much larger audience than you would typically expect at the opening of an exhibition in a traditional white cube gallery. Additionally, it's the opportunity for me to work on a much larger scale. Normally, I create relatively small works where I, as an artist, focus on visual strategies that have a captivating effect on the viewer. Now I can blow things up and really exaggerate, which has a completely different appeal."
What have you researched so far?
"I've selected several places in Noorderplantsoen that have personal meaning to me, and I'm using them as a starting point for further research. I'm currently conducting historical research in the Groninger Archives and the Beeldbank Groningen. I'm looking for connections between history and the present, and I'm attempting to engage in a dialogue with the context in which I find myself. People often think that connecting means only looking at the similarities, but if you approach it that way, everything becomes too homogeneous. Individual stories create richness and provide us with new insights and perspectives on the world. I also don't want to convince people that my perception is the only way to see the world; I just want to show them an alternative. The beauty of being an artist is that it has given me a new framework to see the world around me. I want to share that experience with people when they interact with my work."