Eleni Ploumi
VFest admires the work of Eleni Ploumi (she/her) and invites you to join Her, You, Us.
“Her, You, Us” is a (video) fragment from the performance “Misslightenment”, displayed, specifically for VFest, in the form of an installation. The audience is invited to place themselves in correspondence with the shadow and experience how they relate to Her, You, Us.
“Misslightenment” is a work about the overshadowing of women’s stories and subsequently bodies, by the male gaze. The inspiration comes from current, historical and mythological cases of mistreatment of women and how they became known to the public sphere, going through a lens of personal perspective; for, although they are individual, they keep on repeating themselves in a timeless and spaceless spectrum.
“Using the element of shadow in combination with the present body, I investigate the different layers the stories imply regarding to what is visible or latent, in an attempt to give a different light to parts where the light has not reached upon.”
“Her, You, Us” stands for the manifestation of the collective body, the solidarity of togetherness, where the urgencies of breaking through the vessel called ‘female body’ appear.
Eleni is a performer and choreographer. She is enthralled by the potent relation between her and the audience during a live performance. Her fascination lies in taking the audience along with her in a biomatic experience and share this experience in different levels, but still together. Even though she cannot physically be at VFest, we can still get close to the movement of her shadow, ever moving.
“Misslightenment” is a production by Eleni Ploumi Dance Performance Art, under the supervision of United Cowboys within the scope of PLAN Brabant.
katha.strophies
kathastrophies.com
@katha.strophies
Katha.strophies (she/they) is a designer that likes to work around topics of feminism, girlhood and tech. Within their work, they like to play with worldbuilding and changing perspective to critically reflect with a sense of joy and humour. During VFest, Katha will exhibit a large faux stained glass, made from laser cut plexiglass, and invites you to look at your own vulva as something holy.
Being raised Christian and visiting lots of old churches, they’ve always been fascinated with iconography. This work was born when they saw a stained glass of the Virgin Mary that resembled a vulva. Reflecting on how Mary is viewed within Christianity, this form language made a lot of sense to them. This symbolism returns in many Christian depictions, and can even be tied back to depictions of a primordial mother goddess. This stands in stark contrast with Christian purity culture, which often places a sense of shame and secretiveness on vulvas. In an attempt to reclaim their own sense of shame, they put the vulva into the spotlight - creating “Holy Mother”, a reinterpretation of the use of the vulva in Christian iconography.
Kutjeskracht
VFest <3 Kutjeskracht!
This year, we are thrilled to have Anne Exoo (she/her) return for the second time with her powerful brand, "Kutjeskracht." After a successful first appearance, Anne is back.
Once again Anne will create a unique screen-printed shirt crafted especially for VFest! This awesome design and other unique pieces will be available for purchase for peachy-soft prices. But be fast, pussycat, these works are limited!
What is "Kutjeskracht"? The literal translation from Dutch would be "Pussy Power." It's a bold and empowering term, celebrating female (v/m/x) strength and self-expression.
We invite you to come and be part of this unique art experience and join the movement that Anne Exoo embodies with Kutjeskracht. Together, we can break the taboos around sexuality and create a world where everyone (with or without vulva) can freely express themselves.
Maja Irene Bolier
majairenebolier
@maja.irene.bolier
Maja Irene Bolier (she/they/questioning) is an Australian/Dutch artist, filmmaker and writer currently based in the Netherlands. VFest welcomes Maja back after the first edition to share new works and insights.
They will exhibit her collage works and perform spoken word from her latest publications and more.
Maja Irene works with various mediums, she makes erotic collages, installations, documentary-like films, and performances in self-made costumes… although the various practices sometimes seem disconnected from each other the red line throughout their work is identity and the layers of it. There is always a certain fragmentation of image, a reflection of a life in an in-between state. The feeling of being there, and not there, at the same time, meet the longing of not being.
Maja's work is an exploration of diaspora, identity and distorted sensuality crushed under the weight of half-forgotten childhood memories. It tells the story of a human form everchanging and attempting to fit into new environments.
Maja Irene's work is born of poetry, through the act of writing she is led to image and idea. Without hesitation, Maja shares her words. She shares her desires and losses, rebirths and dark fantasies.
Mirusi Mergina
Enter the enigmatic realms of Mirusi Mergina (she/her), where unpredictability, darkness, and eclecticism converge to create a mesmerising musical journey. At the core of her compositions lies a deep fascination with the enigmatic and obscure aspects of the human experience, often delving into themes of introspection, existentialism, and the shadows that lurk within the human psyche.
At VFest, Mirusi Mergina is set to perform a piece that explores the concept of the dark feminine, a theme that deeply resonates with her. After years of suppressing her inner shadows and raw emotions, she has courageously embarked on a journey to confront and express them. Brace yourself for an intense and immersive experience, as her music unveils an unpredictable dynamism that will stir your senses and haunt your soul.
Listen to her debut Whispers of Danger on Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple Music.
Guus van der Aa
Naaistreek
Shame, taboo and sneaky stuff… Naaistreek knows how to deal with this!
We are very excited to welcome these joyful, shameless artists. You may know them for their nippletassel workshops but at VFest they’ll bring you something different, something… glorious!
“At VFest we briefly draw the attention of the audience with our eye-catching mini-theater: the Glory Hole experience. We take you through our cheeky show in an interactive way by exploring shame and taboo together. Amaze yourself by the small works of art emerging from Naaistreek’s controversial Glory Hole!”
Speels Collectief
We are honoured to have three dancers from diverse dance collective Speels Collectief perform a piece from their show ‘Usually I’m on top’.
In a world where beauty and perfect pictures blur the image of reality, Speels Collectief kicks this ideal image from its pedestal. In a sensual dance trio, prevailing norms of femininity and sexuality are questioned.
Three women play with dominance, a rope and a wheelchair. The wheelchair is included in the performance not only as a tool, but also as a sensual object.
Vulnerable and intimate, three women take you into their desires. In a search for a new morality (or actually… the absolute rejection of it) we arrive at 'what she really really wants'.
Speels Collectief is a diverse, mixed-abled theatre company from Tilburg.
They question the norm, seek wonder and embrace the unusual. With the most diverse company possible, they create theatre based on everyone's possibilities and impossibilities. Speels Collectief strives for a composition of performers with variation in age, gender, (physical, intellectual, social) disability and ethnicity. The company also embodies diversity through its choice of subjects. Performances touch on themes related to power structures, inequality or (in)dependence.
Trijntje van de Wouw
VFest invites you to step into the world of Trijntje van de Wouw (they/them).
Trijntje is a poet and sociologist. You may know them from cool recent events like All Too Human festival and Honing Hondjes at the Nachtzuster. So we’re honoured that they’ll be performing a custom piece for VFest along with their other work (in Dutch).
Trijntje writes about themes that fit perfectly within VFest: neurodivergence, gender, sexuality, fears and awkward loves. They question themself and society in their poetry, often with a good dose of self-deprecating humour, reflection and irony as a way to address vulnerabilities. In texts that fall between prose and poetry, they try to understand the days and get a grip on the chaos of life.
Hester Scheurwater
We are delighted to invite Hester Scheurwater (she/her) to show you part of her latest work: Sex Shooter – The Liberation of Sexual Identity!
Hester Scheurwater has been investigating and criticising the role of (mainly) women as sex objects through nude (self)portraits for a long time. For 'Sex Shooter – The Liberation of Sexual Identity' she sent out an open call, anyone of any gender was allowed to respond. The result is a multimedia installation commissioned by Noorderlicht International Photo Festival.
A selection of the large, tactile photography works that resulted from this exciting project will be shown at VFest!
“It has been a pleasure to work with so many models who seize their right to play, and perform a magical dance around their beauty, sexiness and naked body and with great sovereignty allowing me to capture their sexual identity. In my work and the process of creating this installation, I try to reclaim power over how people's bodies and their sexuality are perceived. I want to encourage people to embrace their own sexuality and body image, regardless of their gender identity, and empower them to deconstruct norms and find freedom in self-determination by promoting gender equality and breaking down traditional gender roles.”
Berendine Venemans
Unfortunately she has to postpone her performance at VFest this year, we thank her for being open and sharing her story below. We wish her a swift and healthy recovery!
How incredibly frightening is it when burnout forces you to stop doing something you love the most? It was very saddening to admit that I could not do my recent performances, including VFest. Normally these things are what give me energy! This is what I live for! But now the pressure of performing, and even attending an event at all, are already too much. Being angry at yourself and afraid of the consequences… What if, because of this, I missed the boat? There won’t ever be another chance? I was working to gain momentum. After years of investing, things just started to take off!
I find it rather vulnerable to be in this position. As an artist and as a human being.
Surrender, letting go. There is nothing else to do. Daring to call, explain the situation. And hoping for understanding.
The response: an inundation of warmth and understanding.
I asked Steph: what word other than ‘canceled’ I could use for my post. ‘Canceled’ has a different connotation these days, you know. Then they said “what if we use ‘postponed’?” Big big smile. Steph and I want more attention and openness to the vulnerability of the arts and cultural field.
Breaking open. Exposing.
Opting for trust.
Doing it together.
Abundance.
Together we make this sector strong. Humanity first. Sometimes life flows, sometimes it’s rough, but you are never alone. It is time to break stigmas around mental health and resilience. Power in being vulnerable, because we are human! Aiming for perfection, efficiency and speed just isn’t a sustainable combination. Balance. Yin and Yang, Winter and Summer, without rest and reflection there can be no fruitful action!
Long live being human.
Love,
Beer
Puk van de Wouw
“A major part of my work consists of interaction with the unknown other. This ‘play’ between me and the other is of crucial importance in my search to cope with the difficulties regarding our physical body. My work does not offer any solutions regarding difficulties, like insecurities or external expectations, but I do ask questions that for some might clear the air. Questions like; What is expected of us? How should we behave? Is it possible to misbehave? Things that are viewed as problematic or distasteful on an extracurricular scale, I try to solve on an intimate, individual scale. With my work, consisting of latex- and plaster moulds of busts, analog photo reports, paintings and publications I try to visualise these questions in the hope to shine a light on the invisible, awkward and sometimes perverse parts of being human.
My work consists of very different processes and mediums. During the making of latex moulds, which can also be seen as a performance, I work with multiple models at a time. These people are mostly found online, through Instagram advertisements. It often happens that feeling of solidarity and harmony arises within the group and precious and intimate conversations take place. These moments help me reflect upon myself and on my work as well. While making the plaster casts of the these people’s bodies, I have to touch them on sensitive and intimate places. These moments of physical contact are very intimate and exciting meetings for me. As if I am, for a brief moment, very close to these people I don’t know. Through these material moulds of bodies, I try to take a closer look on the details and reality of the human body and in doing so try to registrate our felt discomforts. Besides these latex- plaster moulds I am also a photographer. When making photos I also work with unknown people I meet online. These moments happen at their homes, which make these moments very intimate and personal as well, for the models are in their own safe space. By registrating people in these ways I hope to create a more complete and realistic image of what it means to be human. I find great excitement and joy in photographing people in situations that don’t resonate with society’s norm or the way people profile themselves on social media. Situations in which we are often the most real with ourselves. Naked.”
FRKA
What does FRKA mean? We borrowed it from a song, written by a Yugoslavian popartist, Zdenka Kovačiček.
“FRKA” expresses a sense of rebellion and the pursuit of pleasure, particularly through exploration and experimentation. The singer speaks of biting their nails in anticipation and longing for the addressee, wanting to engage in some form of debauchery with them. The night is described as beautiful, but there is a feeling of chaos within the singer, particularly when “our frka” starts.
In the second stanza, the singer describes self-discovery, both in terms of finding new things in their surroundings (such as “travku” (weed) in the grass) and in terms of learning more about themselves (“lice i suzicu” (face and tears) and “ljubav i guzicu” (love and butt)). They also mention how they would rather count the stars than listen to the typical nonsense they hear, suggesting a desire to escape mundane or conventional things in favor of something more exciting or meaningful.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of restlessness and seeking, with the singer wanting to break free from constraints and experience something new and exciting.
This project is a landscape of doubts, a view through the “curtain” by two close friends who decided to express themselves together.
Ducks appeared as a subject that I will mention a lot in my work, following the realisation of the strong symbolism of this little smiling piece of plastic. A rubber duck reminds me of many things: an infant in a bathtub, foam, no worries, childhood, intimacy, sexuality… The duckie is a witness of the most intimate, childish and adult; the witness who has many doubts, and still has that annoying frozen smile on its face. I put it in situations within the image where I express my thoughts, mental debates about time, history and the human being. It's a reminder that we are kids in bodies that transform and go back to Earth. We eat and we’re being eaten. The curtain is a whole world of points of views. I am seeking the truth by asking questions and giving answers, often with a sense of humour. (Sana, she/her)
Since becoming a mother my energy as an artist changed. Not too surprising, since I had to use that energy to create something else. I feel like my womb, or groin, or root chakra is a place where my work comes from, intuitive and flowing. I lost something really important for a long time and starting to work onat the FRKA collab made my joy come back in making work. It all relates to the things you don't see, but everybody does. The struggle or confession about your intimate life, much like motherhood is. I thought of the manifest Mierle Laderman Ukeles wrote in the late 60's, about unseen work when becoming a mother. Her art practice drastically changed when becoming a mother and she noticed the repetitive quality in dailyin the daily life. Why is there no praise for this? Why should being an artist be separate from being a mother/parent? She proposes to recognise this daily, unseen routine, which consists of a lot of taking care, as a performative act of art. The ones who perform this maintenance in society are the ones who keep it together. Or as she said: ‘after the revolution, who is going to pick up the garbage on Monday morning?' (Mariša, she/her)
In the work we make together, we talk about the things unseen, the desires, intimacy and having fun. Through the experimentation that FRKA stands for, we want to invite each other to play and dance together.
Fantastisch Fochtige Foefen
The “Fantastisch Fochtige Foefen”, which roughly translates to “Amazing Moist Fannies”, is a Dutch pop-up collective who sing about both uncomfortable as well as comforting themes, such as love and death and pussy-cats. This mishmash of people consists of Suzanne Slachmuijlders (she/her), Marjolijn Nestelaar (she/her) and Wouter van Itterzon (he/him) (all three known from PS en zo is het leven) and Iris Penning (she/her, known from Iris Penning).
Simic
Simic is a non-binary plasma-punk muppet who lives many parallel lives among different timelines. They are a knight, jewel thief, architect, hacker, and furious goblin lord. Their performances reflect on what it means to be human, though they will never be one…
Simic will guide you through the VFest universe this year. Their unique drag performance style incorporates video game aesthetics, 3d printed prosthetics, and fantasy pop-culture. They examine what it means to thrive and fail in the overlapping space of fantasy and reality.
Tulli
Tulli Tripoline started playing records in 1999, while participating raves in the underground acid-tekno scene; a safe space for all identities.
Especially for V-fest, Tulli mixes a musical ode to diversity and queerness. A tasty cocktail of electro, techno and house with crushed disco ball, served on a vinyl plate. Party party party, one love!
