KUNSTRAI 2019; VISITORS EXPOSE THEMSELVES
AT THE NUDES BY MICKY HOOGENDIJK
From Wednesday 17 to Monday 22 April, the KunstRAI celebrated its 35th edition! During this anniversary year,
more than 17,000 visitors came to the more than eighty participating galleries. Paintings, images, photography
but also applied art and design were discussed. In addition, young galleries were given the opportunity
to show their bold and innovative offer. But the most controversial presentation was, by far,
The Nudes by Micky Hoogendijk!
Nipple gate
When you go back with an artist to that moment the idea arose for the new work in question, it is always based on a philosophical story. You can read all about the underlying basis of the series The Nudes on the website of Micky Hoogendijk. As far as she is concerned, The Nudes is an answer to the present, in which more and more people are censored.
Hoogendijk: “We all remember ‘nipple gate’, where Janet Jackson’s nipple led to a law in the US, which requires that all live broadcasts must be delayed by a few seconds, so that we will never see anything like that again. Last year, I also had a ‘censorship moment’: I showed one of my works on social media and was suddenly blocked by Facebook and Instagram. The penalty for displaying ‘explicit content’: no access to these channels for five days. Not for a second I had thought that this would be seen as explicit content / nudity. I just see a beautiful black-and-white image of a woman dancing. “
Sensational experience
The answer to that punishment was expressed in, among other things, this series: The Nudes. Hoogendijk removed all sexual content from the nudes who posed for this project, which created these images. People who are fused together. All ages, races, beliefs and modes together. The nakedness of man before he was ashamed, before we had knowledge of good and evil and before censorship on social media. Her work is always about vulnerability and the search for vulnerability for the sake of freedom. And what could be more vulnerable and freer than taking a step towards someone naked?
The life-size images at the KunstRAI brought some strong emotions. Visitors started a conversation with Micky, told their own stories, their experiences on the spot and actually exposed themselves. “The personal experiences as well as the interesting conversations have given enormous value to this exhibition. Both to the visitors and to myself. I should like to thank the organizational team, which made it possible to present this installation. It has excited and inspired me to participate in such a way at art fairs in the future,” says Hoogendijk.
Upcoming exhibitions
From May 18, 2019 some works of Hoogendijk can be seen at the William Turner Gallery in Los Angeles. This prestigious gallery represents some of the most exciting emerging and established artists in LA and beyond. For Hoogendijk, that must feel like home coming, since she has spent a lot of time in LA in recent years.
A little closer to home for us: from 21 May Hoogendijk exhibits at the trendy Think Jazzy Art Gallery in Antwerp and early June at Van Loon in Vught in more ecclesiastical atmospheres. See the website for more info.
VITA DI LUSSO continues to follow Hoogendijk closely and will certainly make itself heard if something special once again presents itself!
