Iris Donker & Katinka van Gorkum

We invited the always inspiring and exciting duo Iris Donker (1986) and Katinka van Gorkum (1988) to be the next artists in residence at The Art Department.

You might remember the enigmatic duo from their confetti antics and dramatically painted faces spitting out plastic letters in front of the camera – their way of inviting us to take a look in their colourful universe, featured in The Funny Issue back in November 2013. We also showed both the video Zelfredzaamheid and the performance registration In de Gloria during the Le Mini Who exhibition back then.

Now Donker and Van Gorkum, who have been working regularly as a duo since 2011, are back in our project space, and will take us inside their bubble once again trying to make sense of it all, or better – try to not make sense of it at all.

The two will research the function of decors and displays during their stay at The Art Department, mainly through the use of film and performance.

The residents already shot some footage for their new project while in Sweden where Van Gorkum was visiting Donker, who at the time was on a half year-trip through Europe living out of her old Mercedes bus.

As mostly the case when two chaotic minds meet, their project might be a big success or perhaps it will be a big disaster. One thing is for sure though – they will make it work either way.

During the residency the project space functions as a workspace, playground, cinema and gallery and will be in a continuous state of development and excitement.