During Rotterdam Art Week, work by Hester Scheurwater, L.A. Raeven, Lara Verheijden and Itziar Okariz can be seen in the private studio next to the BRUTUS Garden.

The pin-up is an integral part of the traditional man cave. In this exclusively masculine space, women are objectified in an almost abstract way – until the door opens again to a wife, girlfriend and a domesticated existence.

The images of women in this exhibition are quite the opposite. These are works by outspoken, strong-willed female artists. The space they fill is therefore not a man cave, but more a she-shed or wo-man cave.

Itziar Okariz marks her territory by pissing like a man. In an equally shameless way Hester Scheurwater wrests the female body from the clutches of the fashion and cosmetics industry, demanding the right to openly show off all of herself. This regained pride is confirmed by Lara Verheijden’s nude photos, which can be seen as a major rejection of traditional beauty standards. L.A. Raven, finally, couldn’t care less about social conventions, revealing a femininity that can be vicious, aggressive and even dangerous.

Joep van Lieshout has positioned his Power Hammer amongst these alternative images of women. The hammer is the ultimate male tool, a talisman for Thor and construction workers, and also a bit of an avatar for the relentlessly productive Van Lieshout. However, this hammer is executed in fleshy pink; turning the hard into the soft. The open side offers a view of its interior: the mechanism that allows the man to function.

Information
Free access
Opening hours:
Tuesday 7 Feb between 19:00 and 22:00
Wednesday 8 Feb to Saturday 11 Feb between 12:00 and 21:00
Sunday 12 Feb between 12:00 and 18:00
Entrance: Keileweg 26, entrance on the right side