NYCTOPHILIA
14–11–2015
Curation and participant
Walls Gallery
Amsterdam, NL

Nyctophilia is a group show curated by Martine Johanna. For this exhibition the main concept revolved around the realm of night. Inspired by a relationship with the nocturnal hours on multiple levels, up to the interpretation of the participating artist.

Inspired by it’s presence, the senses, the meaning, it’s seduction, it’s fascination, the stillness or vastness. The night is an inspiration for many that affiliate with artistic movements and expressions. The shadow of night caused by earth’s sphere blocking the light of the sun is called the darkness of night. The only nocturnal natural lighting is provided by a combination of moonlight, planetary light, starlight, diffuse zodiacal light, sky glow and sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust, bioluminescence, lightning and aurorae borealis. The word "Night" often has a negative connotation; like when going through a difficult or dark period. Christianity and other religions see the "night" as the terrain of evil, sin and the devil. But Like Robert Louis Stevenson mentioned in Rubinstein; "there is a romance about all those who are abroad in the black hours." The night elicits seduction; the nocturnal within us awakens that which does not tolerate daylight. 

*The night; shrouded in mystery, the night magical and mystical, the night out in the open, cool and endless, the night full of secrets and stories. The night shows no colors, but knows about depths and disappearances. We want to be in the night in the depths of our souls, but lock ourselves in rooms up high and safe in our beds. We seek shelter from the night, the night that is so clear and honest and conceals so much. The night that equals darkness, darkness and blackness so deeply imprinted in us as as a watchful time while close our eyes before it. The night confused us and exhilarates us, we seek lights in the night with colors of the day, as if we were to say; "Watch out night! You will not hurt us! We celebrate your existence!" With the light and color of the day...

*Exerpts from Martine Johanna Nyctophiliac 2015

Featured artists: Martine Johanna | Amelia Bauer | Łukasz Biederman | Iris Donker | Hans van Bentem | Leanne Eisen | Joris van Egmon | Anke Feuchtenberger | Wouter van der Laa | Jen Mann | Ilse Vermeulen | Alex de Witte

Featured works: 
ARCHIVE

THE GRAND ILLUSION OF SANITY
06–09–2014
Solo Exhibition
Walls Gallery
Amsterdam, NL

Dealing with persistent prejudices about the female mental state. There is still a strong social tendency to label women as "hysterical", inappropriate or worse, once her natural behavior conflicts with the patriarchal standard. In essence this is a bias denial of the human right of being outspoken as a girl and in adulthood as a woman. As a young woman growing up this awoke in me a strong sense of alienation from the world around me. I did not fit into the mold of society, so I became obsessed with an unobtainable ideal of male directed modesty and simultaneously wanting to, fatalistically, bathe in expression. Manifesting this overwhelming desire for mental and physical freedom causes for many females a harmful conflict with the external conservative world. I dreamed of the impossible and fantasized about an ecstatic escape, however, this dream remains an illusion within the expansion of my desires and imagination.


Featured works:  
EARLIER SELECTED WORKS
2010–2015