Expositie: Rik Versteeg
VR 10 OKT 2025 om 09:00 uur tot DO 30 OKT 2025 17:00 uur
Expositie: Rik Versteeg
Artist Statement:
As a queer visual artist, I dive into self-expression and explore themes such as human rights, climate change, and our interconnectedness with nature, all through a queer lens and perspective. My journey as an artist is intertwined with my journey as a queer person, as art became a sanctuary where I found both solace and empowerment. Through my practice, I create a transformative space, both personal and collective, by creating art that lingers in the liminal space of reality and surrealism.
My work spans photography, film, makeup, and (costume) design, which allows me to redefine traditional artistic boundaries and cultivate a layered, immersive experience.
With a bold approach I aim to craft narratives that challenge societal norms, our search for authenticity, deconstruct patriarchy and the heteronormative gaze while fostering dialogue and understanding while inviting introspection.
A signature aspect of my art lies in my use of vivid contrasting colors, intricate concepts, and layered metaphors that speak to universal emotions while inviting viewers to connect with their own stories encouraging audiences to explore their perspectives on identity and belonging. My work is a celebration and an invitation: to understand, to empathize, and ultimately, to embrace authenticity in all its forms, foster equality and community, and dismantle stereotypes.
Exhibition “If you know, you know”
In queer communities, not everything is said out loud. We’ve learned to speak in symbols, body language, fashion choices, and flirtatious looks — not only to find each other, but to protect ourselves. These codes are survival tactics, but also tools of connection, seduction, and play.
A SUBTLE NOD. A SHARED REFERENCE. A KNOWING GLANCE.
This exhibition taps into that unspoken language. What might look like stillness holds tension. What seems playful might carry history. Every image is layered — charged with meaning for those who know how to read it.
IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.
Desire is never neutral. It’s shaped by who we are, what we’ve survived, and what we long for. In these works, kink and fetish aren’t just erotic — they’re also emotional, symbolic, even spiritual.
POWER BECOMES FLUID. ROLES GET BLURRED
Choosing analogue film wasn’t just an aesthetic decision — it was political. The slow, physical process of shooting, developing, and printing allowed space for care, trust, and presence. No quick fixes, no instant deletes. The work embraces texture, imperfection, and intimacy. Over the course of an 8-month research project, Versteeg explored the
layered ways desire, identity, and power intersects with queer spaces.
JUST CHEMISTRY.
This body of work doesn’t ask for permission or explanation — it speaks in codes, gestures, and glances.
IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.
