Everything for the Image XXL talk

As a part of the ‘Everything for the Image XXL’ programming we are organizing an artist-talk with the two photographers we currently have on show, Trees Heil and Aniela Kurkiewcz. The talk is moderated by Nadine Ridder and will discuss sensuality and intimacy in photography from a female and queer perspective. 

During the event, Trees Heil and Aniela Kurkiewicz will first present their work, which delves into themes of identity, transformation, and reclaiming public and private spaces for queer intimacy. After which we will discuss our conditioned responses to eroticsm and the body and how photography can be used as a tool for both liberation and discomfort. 

Trees Heil explores the intimate and complex relationship between identity, desire, and self-expression from a female and queer perspective. Working with photography, film, and live performance, Heil uses the body as a starting point for imagination and joy. Heil mostly collaborates with female and queer models, using an intuitive approach. The models undergo a literal transformation during the creative process.

Aniela Kurkiewicz is an interdisciplinary artist-photographer, based between Rotterdam and Antwerp. Her interests include conceptual art, intersectional feminism, visual semiotics and queer archives.

Nadine Ridder is a specialist in Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, helping organizations create meaningful change. In 2022, she published the trend report ‘Inclusivity is Not for Everyone’. You might also recognize her from opinion pieces in NRC and Parool, or as a moderator for Dutch Design Week. 

Image: 'Heta, The Pink Witch' by Trees Heil (2024).