Deadline for Submissions: August 22nd
Exhibition Dates: November 2nd to December 3rd, 2023
Since the spring of 2022 the exhibition space of Treehouse NDSM has hosted exhibitions open to the public. The exhibitions tackle a diverse range of big societal questions, reflecting the issues that its 200 artists in residence are grappling with. So too are two of the most urgent ones: the climate crisis and gender inequality.
Systems rooted in patriarchal and extractivist modes of thinking and doing have caught us in a destructive relationship with the Earth. Feminist solutions as the alternatives can help us transform these harmful systems by caring for the planet but also being inclusive and appreciative of all species and genders. “The climate crisis is a man-made problem with a feminist solution.”
In this context, Treehouse NDSM will develop Labours of Love, a group exhibition that aims to allow artists to share their perspective on how we can care for our earthly home and all that dwells upon it. The show will be part of the Warming Up Festival’s programme organised by Tolhuistuin from October 30th to November 5th. Artists from all backgrounds and working in any medium are welcome to apply if their project fits the exhibition's theme.
Theme of the exhibition
Solutions must rise to match the climate and societal crises our planet faces. By exhausting our planet, the neo-liberal and patriarchal systems are steadily destroying Earth and endangering all life that dwells on it. Changing the balance of our current social system is essential. This combat lies not only in dismantling dangerous structures, but also in caring for each other, whether we are human, of the soil or animal. From feeding communities through seed circles in indigenous communities to glueing yourself to a beloved tree in danger of being chopped for development projects, labours of love can change our destiny.
Labours of Love are characterised by time. Taking the time to really care about a task at hand and seeing the result as something that has value beyond the individual. A type of work that is directly opposing capitalist ideals of productivity and is often invisible, not remunerated (enough) or given credit for. This could be raising children, growing a food forest or carving a sculpture. How can we acknowledge and value labours of love? How can we find new ways of caring for each other through art? How can we lovingly cohabitate with other beings (human or non-human)?
Through this exhibition, we want to celebrate all of these (often invisible or underpaid) labours of love, and share the ways in which they form eco-feminist solutions to the climate crisis. The exhibition's design will be made in a way that the audience will feel cared for and confident to go through the labours of love’s artistic journey.
Please submit your application through this form