Rotterdam Art Week
9 February, 2023 - 12 February, 2023
During Rotterdam Art Week you can participate in Artist Talks and enjoy many different exhibitions at the Kunsthal, including Body of Work by multi-faceted Rotterdam artist Madeleine Berkhemer and the extraordinary photo essay Hafiz by Magnum photographer Sabiha Çimen. Discover more than a hundred works by Dutch female artists in the exhibition Women's Palette 1900 - 1950. And step into an immersive experience with the imaginative, powerful works of In the Black Fantastic. On the occasion of Rotterdam Art Week, the Kunsthal will open its doors on Thursday evening, 9 February between 19:00 and 22:00 hrs. Register for the evening opening via the button below.
In the Black Fantastic
Step into an immersive experience at the intersection of reality and fantasy worlds. In the Black Fantastic shows seductive, exuberant and colourful works by eleven contemporary artists from the African Diaspora. With boundless imagination and technical virtuosity, the artists are addressing racism and social inequality. Inspired by folklore, myth, science fiction, spiritual tradition, and Afrofuturism, they are imagining new worlds and possibilities. In the Black Fantastic presents an exciting mix of painting, photography, video, sculpture, and installations. The exhibition includes Nick Cave’s legendary Soundsuits and works from the Watery Ecstatic series by Ellen Gallagher.
Madeleine Berkhemer. Body of Work
The themes of seduction and the (artist’s own) female body are central to the work of the genre-transcending artist Madeleine Berkhemer (1973-2019). Her versatile oeuvre includes explicit erotic drawings and pin-up photos marble sculptures, everyday objects, installations, collages and artworks for the public space. No matter what genre or materials Berkhemer uses, her art provokes, teases and seduces. In HAL 3 and on the grid floor in front of the Kunsthal, you will discover some of her most striking works.
Artist Talk Ellen Gallagher & Ekow Eshun
Saturday 11 february 11:00 - 12:30 hrs
On Saturday 11 Februari acclaimed American artist Ellen Gallagher is coming to the Kunsthal to talk to curator and writer Ekow Eshun about her work and the exhibition In the Black Fantastic. In the Black Fantastic features her watercolours from the Watery Ecstatic series and paintings from the Ecstatic Draught of Fishes series, depicting a magical underwater world inspired by the modern myth of Drexciya. Book your ticket here.
See also
Artist Talk Cindy Bakker
Saturday 11 February 15:00 - 15:30 hrs
For the twenty-eighth edition of Kunsthal Light, the artist Cindy Bakker is creating the site-specific work PLAY. The high walls of the Kunsthal’s HALL 6 – the twenty-five-meter-long display window along the ramp – remind Bakker of a bouldering gym.he experience of the sloping surfaces and the many diagonal lines – that appear to disconnect you from reality – inspire her to create a playful course. During the Artist Talk, Bakker will tell everything about her work PLAY. The Artist Talk is free of charge upon presentation of a valid Kunsthal admission ticket.
Kunsthal x LantarenVenster
8 February until 22 March
From Wednesday 8 February, you can delve into the cinematic domain of the Black Fantastic! In collaboration with the Kunsthal, LantarenVenster will be presenting an extensive film programme surrounding the exhibition In the Black Fantastic. The film programme includes must-see classics and work by relevant, contemporary makers. Just like the artworks in the exhibition, these films are very imaginative and embrace the mythical. Find out more about the programme and tickets here.
