Shake a Leg

‘My work results from a sun-kissed-attitude. The abstraction lies in the abundance of the figurative. The stream of visual references become an overwhelming hodgepodge. Seemingly childlike interventions with my mostly used material, ceramics, tend to become dark and ominous when presented. Fictive presences, odd characters and personalities ranging from humor to tragedy, both playful and gloomy. These constantly changing results coagulate into a multisided fantasy.’
Afra Eisma (b. 1993) graduated from the Royal Academy of Art The Hague. She has participated in several exhibitions including Unfair18 (Amsterdam), Facetime Den Haag at Stroom (The Hague) and Sun Lead Gold at Beverly (Arnhem).

‘For all my work, the material and the form are leading. The way I put it together makes me very aware of the performative nature of my actions. For example, I lace discarded and often ‘inferior’ material such as foam and Styrofoam together, like one would do while making shish kebabs. The title derives from that action. I also question the thinking about what a painting can be, for example. Instead from a framework I see a painting as a sort of coat rack to hang all sorts of things, whether this literally is an idea or a ceramic ashtray. In addition to the traditional painting and sculpture I gradually became more interested in performance. Playfully I started imitating objects that regularly return to my work such as yellow dishcloths, cigarettes and coke cans. The object as an extension of ourselves fascinates me. We more often have our phone in our hands than the hand of a loved one. Can objects objectify us? They are perceived as submissive, but that still is very much the question. Grabbing a hammer forces you to adopt a certain stance. Looking from this perspective I started making objects that need to be taken care of by cutting and doing their nails and hairs. What is striking is that there are many bulges and curves in my work and if you’d take a closer look at everything you would see that everything flows into each other and embraces each other. I think everyone makes things, whether it’s paving stones or children. We are here to produce and I try to contribute and play my part.’
Arash Fahkim (b. 1987) graduated from ArtEZ Institute of Arts in Arnhem. Arash has participated in several exhibitons including Selected By at Corosia (Almere), Ernstig Geschikt at Pulse (Arnhem), Internet Yami-chi at Cultuurhuis Brakkegrond (Amsterdam) and Hijacking Karma #2.0 at NEST (The Hague).

Babs Bleeker is a painter who uses anything but a brush. However spray paint is her main medium, in her research she uses other materials to create new contrasts, shapes, ’blobs’, textures, shades and effects. Although these elements are influenced by (mainly) digital aesthetics, she never touches a computer and approaches her canvas as an intuitive painter. Her work displays a contemporary energy, humor and holds a composition that’s hard to put your finger on.
Babs Bleeker (b. 1992) finished her bachelor at Hku, Utrecht. Recent exhibitions include Ernstig Geschikt! Studio Omstand (Arnhem), Sprouts! SBK Kunstuitleen (Amsterdam), Unfair18 (Amsterdam) and the solo exhibition ERASTE_AND_PASTE.JPG at Moira (Utrecht).

Ide André’s work is born out of an obstinate surrender to acting through painting. His paintings, often grubby, fleeting, yet at the same time clear and sharp in their appearance, originate from various acts performed in, as well as outside of, the studio space. In an impulsive, but consciously dogmatic way of working, André moves in a transitive way along his canvas. In-between self-given guidelines, mostly based on self-evident but practical considerations, he lets his work influenced by ingredients given by his surroundings during his process. Like so, material and even social structures that are inherrent to a certain space of procution, become part of the physical , as wel of the theoretically surface of his paintings. In this way his paintings become a legitimate legacy of his acts.
Ide André (b. 1990) lives and works in Arnhem. His work has been presented in different exhibitions including Prospects & concepts (Art Rotterdam 2018), BOUGIE ART at CBK (Amsterdam) and When the fallow remains at NEST (The Hague). He received the Stipendium for Emerging Artists from the Mondriaan Fund in 2017.

My impulse and works, are originating from the systematization in our daily life and the resulting behavior as we arrived and tarry in a demand creating construct. Mirroring in the interplay of the conditions’ setting, the clout of this context is central to our way of life, rulings and conduct. The existing and emerging cultures are severing, by this time just as a justification for the retention of self-aggrandizement and its supremacy.
Painting for me is mental locomotion and physical talk. An exclusive power for the clearance of politics, religions and individualization. Like a fictitious space towards our know-how of reality. The execution of painting itself is a total aware process whereby, myself has to accept its subordinate role in order for a further stage – Painting as a paramilitary action, in trenches carving through time and space.
Niko Riedinger (b. 1986) graduated Fine Arts at AKV St. Joost, Den Bosch.His work has been presented in several shows including JETZT SCHLAEGST DREIZEHN in V&B showroom (Rotterdam), TEAM TRIBAL (Nijmegen) and ENCAMPMENT at Cactus (Den Bosch).