I'm a Finnish-Dutch artist, educator and organiser living in Amsterdam-Noord. In my work I explore the revolutionary potential of collective creativity. As an autodidact DJ, filmmaker and anarchist, clubs are my art school and protests my phd.
I'm a Finnish-Dutch artist, educator and organiser living in Amsterdam-Noord. In my work I explore the revolutionary potential of collective creativity. As an autodidact DJ, filmmaker and anarchist, clubs are my art school and protests my phd.
04.11.2021 - 23.01.2022
Artists: Amie Galbraith, Karl Klomp, Gaika Tavares and Juha van 't Zelfde
Photos: Petra van der Ree
Video: Juan Arturo Garcia
Tags: art, club culture, film music, research, Rotterdam
In 2021, during the nationwide club closure in The Netherlands, photographer Amie Galbraith (UK), scenographer Karl Klomp (NL), artist and musician Gaika Tavares (UK) and artist Juha van 't Zelfde (NL) transformed Gallery -1 of Het Nieuwe Instituut into a club for a few months. In their installation in the basement, they used various media to sketch a collective 'portrait' of club culture and the feelings of being one with their surroundings and each other. After a forced period without nightlife, visitors could (re)experience the togetherness and collective joy of music and dance.
Every Body in the Place was part of a long-term research project in which Van 't Zelfde explored the social, cultural and political meanings of club culture at the request of Het Nieuwe Instituut's research department.
ARTIST STATEMENT
With Every Body in the Place, we have built a version of a club in the basement of Het Nieuwe Instituut.
We call it a portrait.
We have done so because we miss the club. We miss music. We miss dancing. We miss collective joy.
What do you miss most?
Since clubs have closed, we have endlessly looked at photos, watched videos and listened to recordings of club nights.
We have texted each other, sent voice messages, and studied everything we could get our hands on to examine these feelings.
The result is this portrait.
It consists of videos, photos, music, lights and a text. They recreate memories of moments in which we were one with our surroundings, and everyone around us.
Moments full of hope, love and friendship. Ecstatic moments that we never wanted to end.
So here we are now, looking for a feeling, a new beginning.
Every body in the place. Let's go.