Under the heading ‘Gender’ we show 4 separate presentations:

• ‘Being a Human Being’ - Mischa Keijser and Hanneke Wetzer

• ‘Tyrone’ - Martijn van de Griendt

• ‘Hé Pik’ (boek) - John Wiersma

• Drag Queen OKLA

BEING A HUMAN BEING – A PLAYFUL FUSION

Hanneke Wetzer and Mischa Keijser have known each other for many years and share a fascination for the surreal, the playful and the uncomfortable. Independently, they investigated how bodies – stripped of conventions and ideals – can be experienced in a new way. In recent years, their worlds have grown ever closer together, resulting in this joint exhibition.

Wetzer and Keijser each give shape to a shared vision in their own way: to free the body from ideals and expectations. Wetzer has been doing this since 2016 with her daily 'beings' - minimalist line drawings of anonymous bodies without faces, so that everyone can identify with them. Keijser explores the same theme with 'human beings' - photographic nudes in which the head remains out of the picture, so that the body itself, free from identity and judgement, is central. Where Wetzer defies beauty standards with line and simplicity, Keijser embraces the power of imperfection with light and skin. Keijser started his series in 2012, initially with Noemi Maille as a model. Their collaboration quickly grew into an equal process, in which Noemi plays an essential role not only in front of, but also behind the camera. Since then, they have worked together under the name MaKe, creating images that defy beauty standards and invite a new view of the body.

In this exhibition, the (human) beings of Wetzer and MaKe are brought together and mixed up into a festive mix of recognition and alienation. Rolls of fat are celebrated, uncomfortable positions embraced. Together they show: the body is always good as it is.

Mischa Keijser (Rotterdam, 1974) is a visual artist who uses photography as a medium. He was educated at AKV | St. Joost in Breda. Since then he has worked both on commission and autonomously. In his autonomous work, Keijser mainly investigates the often abrasive relationship between man and nature. A large part of his work consists of (Dutch) landscapes. With attention to climate change and sustainable energy, his work is increasingly socially involved. Every now and then he also makes images of people in uncomfortable situations. He is regularly inspired by his personal life. Keijser has published a number of photo books. He lives in Breda. https://mischakeijser.com

Hanneke Wetzer (Eindhoven, 1979) studied Health Sciences in Maastricht for two years but switched to the HKU where she graduated as an illustrator. Since then she has been working as a photographer, illustrator and performance artist within her multidisciplinary practice. Recurring themes are eroticism, (im)perfection and (gender) identity. During the Covid-19 lockdown she started the project ‘Me & Nadiah, Living Alone (together)’. Her work can also be seen in public spaces on walls and electricity boxes. Wezter's work is alienating with a mischievous dose of humor. Wetzer lives in Eindhoven. www.hannekewetzer.com

TYRONE – MARTIJN VAN DE GRIENDT

In 2018, Martijn van de Griendt met Tyrone at a school party of the lower grades of the Montessori Lyceum in Amsterdam. He was twelve at the time. The photographer recently rediscovered Tyrone on Instagram. Tyrone is now studying dance at the ROC Zuid and performs as a drag queen in the Ballroom scene under the name Tyra. Van de Griendt made this series for Volkskrant Magazine and was nominated for the Silver Camera in the category Art, Culture and Entertainment.

Martijn van de Griendt (Eindhoven, 1970) is a storyteller. He photographs, writes and films, usually with youth as his subject. He studied at the School of Journalism in Utrecht and the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He has published a number of photo books, including ‘Forever Young’ and ‘Maria I Need Your Lovin’ and made the films ‘Maria’ and ‘The Holy Trinity’. Van de Griendt lives in Haarlem. https://martijnvandegriendt.nl

HEY PIK - JOHN WIERSMA

‘Hé Pik’ is more than a funny book – it breaks taboos and draws attention to the penis. If you are looking for books about the vagina, there are plenty of options. But with books about the penis, the results often fall short. ‘Hé Pik’ offers something different: not only photos, but also the stories behind them. Every penis has its own personal story. In this book you will find stories that are light-hearted and funny, but also moving and sometimes painful. One penis has had thousands of adventures, the other has been faithful to one partner for more than fifty years. Unfortunately, not all stories are equally cheerful – there are also stories about testicular cancer, scars, abuse and other topics that are rarely talked about, but there is a need for it.

‘Hé Pik’ breaks taboos. Young people increasingly shower in their underwear or at home after sports, which sometimes gives a distorted image of their own body. Many are ashamed of their penis, for fear of comments about length, color or shape. This book is a safe space for a hundred anonymous stories with which every reader can find recognition. Published by Lecturis. https://lecturis.nl

John Wiersma (Eindhoven, 1982) John Wiersma (Eindhoven, 1982) completed a training in retail and Social Pedagogical Assistance at Fontys, worked in youth care for 12 years and then started his own company De Fotomeneer in Eindhoven. ‘I have owned a penis for 42 years. Not a huge one, but I am happy with it – it has given me three beautiful daughters. As a photographer, publishing ‘Hé Pik’ is a boyhood dream come true. Hopefully it will help others look at their own penis with a new perspective. Be proud of it, give it attention, and remember that your story matters too.’ www.defotomeneer.nl

OKLA - METAMORPHOSIS IN MOTION

The installation ‘Metamorphosis in Motion’ traces the evolution of identity through three forms: created by OKLA (fashion), reinterpreted by others (photography), and reimagined by AI (video). OKLA explores drag as a living process — blurring gender, art, and technology — to challenge fixed truths and celebrate transformation, visibility, and self-expression.

More than a fusion of fashion, photography, and video, this installation reflects on identity as a fluid, evolving process. Inspired in part by the Taoist parable of Zhuangzi — the man who dreamt he was a butterfly, and questioned which reality was true — it invites viewers to ask: Where does the self end and the performance begin? What is real, and what is a dream retold? What makes us ‘us’?

Participating photographers: Robin Kühn, Piotr Durbajło, Victor Shopov.

Special thanks to makeup artist Haroz, fashion studio LABELEDBY., Ralf Jacobs, and

Fashion Tech Farm for their generous support.

Mikhail Erokhin (Novosibirsk, Russia, 1992)

Performing under the name OKLA (he/she/they), Mikhail is a drag artist and visual

storyteller based in Eindhoven. Growing up in an environment where self-expression was dangerous, Mika began exploring queerness in secret. After immigrating to the

Netherlands in 2014, he began experimenting with makeup as a form of self-expression,

which eventually led him into the local drag scene. Since 2016, OKLA has been active in

Eindhoven’s queer nightlife as part of the DayDayGay collective. In 2023, they joined the acclaimed drag house Celestial Bodies, known for its fashion-forward aesthetic and performances on major stages like Paradiso and Milkshake Festival. OKLA’s work merges fashion, photography, and digital media to explore themes of transformation, identity, and the surreal. Offstage, Mikhail works as a marketing manager.