My visual work includes drawings and paintings, self-portrait reference photos, videos and recordings of hidden performances. I investigate how Eros structures power and how power structures influence erotic life, particularly with regard to the internal, interpersonal, and societal dynamics of intergenerational childhood sexual abuse. As a member of the research collective SOHERE, I co-initiated Structures of Unfeeling, which aims to strengthen the public debate on this topic by creating multidisciplinary horizontal learning environments.
The children/protagonists in my work often find themselves in liminal spaces or states. The play with scale and reproduction seems to point to shifting identities, roles, and power dynamics; the traversing of time and generations. By merging disparate stories and motifs, and crossing codes between myths, meaning is destabilised, emphasis shifts, and the silenced are given a voice.
Mädchen* sein!? Vom Tafelbild zu Social Media
Was bewegt Mädchen* aktuell und welche Rollenbilder werden uns aus der Vergangenheit überliefert? Die zeitgenössische Kunst verhandelt Mädchen*bilder häufig in sozial motivierten Themen: Coming of Age, Selbstoptimierungstendenzen (...) fluide Geschlechter, Themen der Diversität, Interkulturalität und Inklusion. (...)
Kuratorin: Brigitte Reutner-Doneus
WRONG WITH YOU Research exhibition by wolf engelen and Vanessa Jane Phaff
The culture of silence surrounding child sexual abuse works in two ways: the taboo forces secrecy and the experiences can hardly be put into words.
"How can we develop a vocabulary for this that is richer than one that always features simple contradictions, banal schemas, the dichotomy of "perpetrators" and "victims," a jargon in which something has been "processed" or "left behind"? A vocabulary that does justice to the complexity and multiplicity? " Manon Uphoff
AKTIONSWOCHEN Zukunft Gestalten // Eine Chance für die Vernunft
Structures of Unfeeling (Part 1/Zürich)
Structures of Unfeeling is an exhibition and learning environment focused on fostering public dialogue around (intergenerational) childhood sexual abuse. Initiated by wolf engelen, Joseph Baan and Vanessa Jane Phaff from research group SOHERE (founded by wolf engelen in 2016) this long term project collaborates with a diverse group of practitioners from art, education, music, performance, dramaturgy, and academia, most of whom have been inscribed by histories of childhood sexual abuse.
Solitaire chess
publicatie n.a.v. interview
(un)balancing power relations
Ladekastproject door gastcurator Mirjam Westen.
Met: Wafae Ahalouch, Ayo, Atousa Bandeh, Diana Basyouni Al-Halabi, Esiri Erheriene-Essi, Susanna Inglada, Alicia Framis, Gluklya, Susanne Khalil Yusef, Yuchen Li, Carine Mansan, Lana Mesić, Beth Namenwirth, Helma Pantus, Vanessa Jane Phaff, Müge Yilmaz
Wilde Kindheit/Real Wild Child
Die Ausstellung zeigt mit 170 Künstler*innen Positionen von 1900 bis heute, die kritisch, realistisch differenziert, aber auch mit viel Ironie und Humor kindliches Glück ebenso wie Frustration dokumentieren. Sie machen uns bewusst, dass es an uns liegt, unseren Kindern eine Kindheit zu ermöglichen, die es wert ist, sich an sie zu erinnern.
Kuratorinnen: Sabine Fellner, Elisabeth Nowak-Thaller
Dutch Interior No. 01
Chess Opera Collage
Solopresentatie tijdens Sloperaweekend (Stad in de Maak i.s.m. Operadagen en Wunderbaum)
OMSTAND X DE GROEN X EXPOPLU: Femke Herregraven - Vanessa Jane Phaff
Lezing/interview (moderator: Fenne Saedt)
New Game
Solotentoonstelling i.h.k.v. Biënnale Gelderland 2019 (curatoren Lieven Hendriks en Rob Groot Zevert) (catalogus)
Points of View Old & New
Cluster Bubble
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Lieven Hendriks)
Tales Retold: Fairy Tales in Contemporary European Visual Art
Bonner, Sarah ORCID logo (2019) Tales retold: fairy tales in contemporary European visual art. In: Teverson, Andrew, (ed.) The fairy tale world. Routledge worlds series . Routledge, Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, UK. April 2019
pages 438-450: Alice Maher, Cornelia Parker, Vanessa Jane Phaff, Paula Rego, Kiki Smith
SETUP 03 DE.GROEN x MUSEUM ARNHEM
Groepstentoonstelling
Zero Footprint Campus (met SOHERE)
'Girl acting out', chapter in 'Memories of the Future' by Sarah Bonner
Bonner, Sarah, Memories of the Future, ed. Stephen Wilson and Deborah Jaffe. Peter Lang AG, April 2017: 85-103: Dina Goldstein, Vanessa Jane Phaff, Paula Rego, Kiki Smith, Miwa Yanagi
Art Rotterdam / RAM galerie
DEFY DEFINITION: Risk Hazekamp en Vanessa Jane Phaff
Duotentoonstelling (opening door Lene ter Haar)
Bildsucht – sucht Bild
Groepstentoonstelling (curatoren: Jacinta Mössenböck, Laurenz Pöttinger)
Voor eeuwig de jouwe
Collectietentoonstelling
Espíritu y espacio
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Francesco Bonami) (catalogus)
Op papier gezet
Groepstentoonstelling
Hommage: a choice from the Frits Lugt Collection
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Paul van der Eerden) (catalogus)
Rites de Passage
Groepstentoonstelling
Art Amsterdam / Reuten Galerie
Solopresentatie
Jurylid Beeldend Gesproken Kunstprijs
Jury: Jos ten Berge (voorzitter) Ferdinand van Dieten, Anke van der Laan, Fahrettin Örenli, Vanessa Jane Phaff
Große Malerei
Groepstentoonstelling
Contour / Continuïteit, Heden en Verleden
Groepstentoonstelling (curatoren: Jan Hein Sassen, Jaap van den Ende) (catalogus)
Artist talk
Ook kort interview op BBC Radio WM
Fairy Tale. Contemporary Art and Enchantment
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Angela Kingston) (catalogus)
i.p.v. Mashkov
Groepstentoonstelling (aankopen)
Het Vijfde Seizoen
Met wolf engelen
Girlpower and boyhood
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Lene Burkard) (catalogus)
20 jaar Stadsgalerij Heerlen, Van Appel tot Zandvliet
Spiegelkabinett
Solotentoonstelling (publicatie)
(ook radio-interview Ö1- ORF (Kulturjournal/Isabelle Muhr))
Vanessa Jane Phaff
Solotentoonstelling
DOUBLE CUBE
Solotentoonstelling (curator: Mirjam Westen, voorwoord publicatie: Mirjam Westen, tekst/tweegesprek publicatie: Léon Hanssen, ook opening tentoonstelling LH)
Bidibidobidiboo
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Francesco Bonami) (catalogus)
10 jaar Wim Izaks Prijs
Opening door Gerrit Komrij (catalogus)
I-20 Gallery
Solotentoonstelling
begeleider/adviseur bij Nature or Nurture (Testcase nr. 23) van theatermaker Alexandra Broeder
n.a.v. mijn gelijknamige werk uit 1998
The Armory Show / I-20 Gallery
Duopresentatie
Orizzonti aperti, Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Palazzo Forti
Groepstentoonstelling
Still
Solotentoonstelling (curator: Miguel von Hafe Pérez)
KunstRAI / Reuten Galerie
Solopresentatie
Age of Unreason
Groepstentoonstelling
Turbulence. Contemporary Dutch Artists
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Mirjam Westen) (catalogus)
Het persoonlijke is politiek
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Hedy d'Ancona)
The Armory Show / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
Het oog van de vrouw
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Sandrine van Noort) (catalogus)
Not the end
Solotentoonstelling
Artissima / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
Parallel worlds
Groepstentoonstelling (catalogus)
Art Forum / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
Vanessa Jane Phaff
Solotentoonstelling
LRRH
Solotentoonstelling
Jörgen Erkius / Vanessa Jane Phaff / Scott Redford
Solotentoonstelling i.v.m. residency
Art Forum / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
KABOOM!
Groepstentoonstelling
A Arte do Povo / The People’s Art
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Bartomeu Marí) (catalogus)
Künstlerhaus Bethanien
Residency atelier Mondriaan Fonds
The Armory Show / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
ARCO / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
ARTE FIERA / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
Art Forum / I-20 Gallery
Groepstentoonstelling
Dusk
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: David Hunt) (catalogus)
girl
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Angela Kingston) (catalogus)
Sally can't see
Solotentoonstelling (catalogus)
Van Kandinsky tot Corneille
Groepstentoonstelling (catalogus)
L.A. International Biennial/ Inmo Gallery
Groepstentoonstelling
Examining Pictures: Exhibiting Paintings
Groepstentoonstelling (curatoren: Judith Nesbitt, Francesco Bonami) (catalogus)
Vanessa Jane Phaff
Solotentoonstelling (curator: Corinna Schnitt)
Art Brussels
Groepstentoonstelling
Voorwerk 6
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Rutger Wolfson)
Carambolage Dialog Kultur
Groepstentoonstelling
Wim Izaks Prijs 1998
Jurriaan Molenaar (prijswinnaar) • Vanessa Jane Phaff • Gé-Karel van der Sterren (catalogus)
Paswoord: worden
Groepstentoonstelling (curator: Theo Tegelaers)
Vanessa Jane Phaff
Solotentoonstelling
Gramercy Art Fair / I-20 Gallery
Groepspresentatie
Vanessa Jane Phaff - schilderijen
Solotentoonstelling
Zonder titel
Duopresentatie met Martijn te Winkel
Jonge Gasten 1
Solotentoonstelling
Tekeningen 1993-1994
als danser:
1988-1989 SAHARA SUPERIOR King Cherry / Rica Blunck. Studio al Porto/Rotterdam, Korzo Theater/Den Haag, Teatro Cabaret Voltaire/Turijn, Monsun Theater/Hamburg
1988 HEROIC FAILURES (voor Pina Bausch) The Meekers / Arthur Rosenfeld. Opernhaus Wuppertal
1988 3e selectieronde auditie Tanztheater Wuppertal