Meisjeskitsch

In my life as a girl in general and as a female artist in particular, I frequently feel confronted with my femininity. I feel like I’m less likely to be taken seriously as an artist because of how I present myself and my art.

In my practice, I embrace the typical kitschiness of what a girl can be; glitters, pink, innocence, naivety, heavy emotions, and just the general heartbreak of being young and having to grow up.

I’m sick and tired of being judged for liking and being those things, so I’m claiming them back with this word: Meisjeskitsch/Girlykitsch.

Meisjeskitsch is for everyone who feels like they can identify with it; it’s a way to create inclusiveness and a broader acceptance of what one and art can be.

At this moment, I work with makeup and candy to make a specific visual style that broadcasts my message; that visual style usually contains a combination of the color pink and glitter but also soft, shiny, and slimy textures. I feel most at home within these materials, and it only feels natural that my art is born from that world.

Having fun during my artistic process is incredibly important because why would you ever choose to do something that’s not fun?

In having fun, I find the freedom to do what I genuinely want; creating a space for meisjeskitsch in the world in general and the art world specifically.