Jessica van Deursen

video , spiritualiteit , sociaal-maatschappelijk , sculptuur , publieke ruimte , performance , mens , installatie , fotografie , Conceptueel

Lees voor

''Art is Life & Life is Art''
Stijn Huijts (director of the Bonnefanten Museum):

"Jessica van Deursen is an performance artist, who pushes the boundaries of the common fine-arts practice. Not only does she challenge the borders between her art and her personal life, she also challenges her own mental and physical limits"

The works of Jessica van Deursen investigate the designability of ones course in life, likewise this has been explored both practically and theoretically, for many centuries, within the philosophical tradition of the art of living.

She(/they) does so by exploring her physical and mental capacities, in often very challenging performances. And also by designing new rituals, practical tools and (alternative) lifestyles, which she tests during her own daily life as (durational) performances.

Her works occurs as performances, objects, installations, photographs, video, but also by sharing her research and visual proces on her blog Arty Farty Life.

**PLOW** - PLOW (2022) | Performance art film ‘’ How the fungi then took over forming fluffy blankets under the forrest’s feet reviving all we’d burned swiftly sending signals shooting chemicals through their tiny reeds Flowers that brought back the species; plants we’d forgot we could eat native veg and medicinal weeds perfectly designed to fit our bodies needs How there’s now less we have Following our bodies moves; trusting in a mustard seed Nowadays, with every breath I take I just praise the beauty of all of this play of wonder – that I consciousness having a human experience until I am no longer – and will be carried further as I’m going yonder with only – and all! - the love we ever shared As the circle turns again ’’ #Rerooting #ClimateArt #LifeIsFlow #Flux #BeautyAndDisgust #Meditation #RewiringOurHumanBrains #EvolutionOfMan #AsSeenOnBigArt2022 Videography: Marco de Waal Concept, direction and performance by the artist: Jessica van Deursen The audio of this art video, was recorded unto the music album Retuning Home by Alter Moderna (Jessica van Deursen & Monique van Deursen) in 2024. More info on http://www.altermoderna.com

**Re-Pharmacy** - From December 2020, I’ve been replacing the contents of my medicine cabinet with homemade plant-based meds. For this, I used herbs and weeds; that grow within 1 kilometer from my residency, and with otherwise bio-degradable and sustainably produced ingredients. By doing this, one illness at a time, I’ve been forcing myself to learn the names of all these locally growing plants and to rediscover forgotten knowledge. I find my recipes in old books or I create my own recipes, which I share on my research blog Arty Farty Life. Each little sculpture in this installation contains one of these recipes. Together they form an continuously growing installation. Year 2020 - 2021 Materials Basswood, eco beeswax, ‘super sap’ bio epoxy, herbs and plants Size 2 x 2 meters (and extending and expanding still)

**Modern Medicine for Poorous Measures** - 2020 | photography | Material: chicken fence wire, thyme, chamomile, cinnamon, red pepper, nettle, ginger, lemon, sage, dill, radish, orange, liquorice, pine tree, lungwort

**Re-Fashion** - For one year and one day, I wore this self-designed, hemp and other eco materials-based, consisting of a minimal amount of items, set of clothes. Inspired by research on former dutch historical (such as folklore ‘klederdracht’) clothing traditions. The set was made by a local tailor and was sponsored through a crowdfunding campaign. The set was altered and restored by myself, throughout the year, forcing myself to learn about all kinds of sowing, washing and mending techniques.

**The Meek | 2020** - 2020 | performance | 60 minutes Performed during Venice International Performance Art Week | Palazzo Mora | IT (Matthew 5:5-9) ''Blessed are the meek. For they shall inherit the Earth''

**The Great Health | Food art installation** - Food art installation. Platters created with local sand and concrete. All food was made with herbs and plants, picked no further than 1 kilometer from the gallery. Visitors can take home recipes, to replicate the dishes themselves. Year 2023 Size 2,50 x 1,20 x 0,40 m

**Symbiose** - 2020 | necklace | two people's hair, ruby and glass beads, silver thread | (30 x 60 cm) | During Victorian times, it was common, to create jewelry out of a deceased persons' hair; 'mourning jewelry', these pieces were called. At the height of this custom's popularity, merchants would even travel from village to village, to buy the hair of the less fortunate... For the past fifteen years, I've been a caregiver for one of my close relatives. The relation I've had with this person, has always been complex; It's completely based on trust, which makes the bond very fragile, and because this is also a paid job, which partly enables my art practice. I feel like I had to make many crucial life decisions for this person throughout the years; as where to study, and where to live. And recently, due to circumstances, also how to look, as I was trusted with the task of cutting off his hair.

**Homo Fragilis** - 2020 | durational performance | 5 hours | during Frank Taal gallery | exhibit 10+ | Rotterdam | NL Materials: vitamin pills, band aid, rubber gloves, syringes, ampouls, mushrooms, living plants. On the occasion of Frank Taal's anniversary exhibitions, I created this durational performance. Laying on a cold concrete floor, my shivers and spasms added an extra layer of drama to this image.

**The Great Health** - 2020 | installation - performance - video - several small objects | final presentation for residency at Witte Rook | Breda | Dionysos, the mythical protector of the wild, inspired Niezsche to coin the idea of ''Die Grosse Gesundheit'', in which a society welcomes evanescence, destruction, disgust, chaos, intense sexual drive, suffering, pain, death, fear and insecurity as desired qualities, in order the maintain the natural balance in life. Performers Monique and Jessica van Deursen (a.k.a. Alter Moderna) invited a small audience to come receive a performative post-covid-19 cleanse. Visitors could 'book' a session at Witte Rook. In between and after the performances, the space could be visited as an exhibition.

**CorporAte** - 2020 | online performance | 10 minutes | Trienal Deformes | Chili / Netherlands

**7.83 Hz** - 2021 | In times in which social distancing has become the new social norm, by singing together with an audience via digital means, distances can nevertheless be overcome. Likewise, sound and intention are proven to be able to influence behavior of molecules beyond dimensions of time and space. Be inviting an online audience, with people from all over the world, to sing along with our performance, we aimed to create a humming for the Earth and mankind, which are facing an even graver crisis than covid-19 This performance was live broadcasted during Riga Performance Art Festival 2021 Performers: Monique van Deursen, Jessica van Deursen, Sofie Hollander, Sophie Zaaijer and Klaartje van Zwoll

**Future Whispers** - (2023) | 3 hour performance at Frank Taal Gallery, Rotterdam. Storytelling and durational performance.

www.jessicavandeursen.com

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