Every month Playgrounds and AV-platform KONKAV shine a light on a promising creative, based in Brabant. This time we give the spot of fresh faces to Michelle Verhoeks. Michelle Verhoeks is a visual artist and performer. With a heart for mixed media and traditional methods of making, she continues to find new ways of expressing herself.
We asked Michelle to react to three quotes made by creatives greats.
“The works must be conceived with fire in the soul but executed with clinical coolness.”
– Joan Miro
I work very intuitively. Some ideas are a bit turbid at the start of the process as to how they will be communicated to the viewer. When the idea develops further and becomes more clear after research and experiments, it is time for to really start creating. And in this process I’ll have to make so many choices on a very detailed level. How does my character move, which color palette will I use, what will the sound be like? I leave a lot of room for experimentation and looseness in my work and I strive to create something tangible in my work. For example, by working with materials that flow in different directions that I cannot control and I didn’t plan on beforehand. I find the precision in editing my material in order to make it a complete and smooth whole.
“A lot of times you get credit for stuff in your movie you didn’t intend to be there.”
– Spike Lee
I find it interesting that when I make something, it is still free for my own interpretation. People can get something out of it that is important to them at that time around the theme of the film. That way it is also interesting for me as a maker and with that feedback I get new inspiration. I don’t like to end a project or idea with a fixed statement, but rather with an open end. A journey or experience that I show results in a different interpretation for different viewers and that is very valuable for me to hear.
“An artist is someone who produces things that people don’t need to have but that he – for some reason – thinks it would be a good idea to give them.”
– Andy Warhol
It is interesting that as a filmmaker / artist you can tell stories. It may not be a basic necessity, but you can convey an important idea and trigger a feeling with your audience. In my film Diep there is taboo, shame, oppression and the liberation thereof. The purpose of my work is to arouse a feeling and awaken people on certain topics such as sexuality, body positiveness and desires. It is valuable to make someone aware of positive developments within themselves. Forming a unity with yourself, not being ashamed and equality in sexuality will always be subjects in which people can grow.
We are delighted that we can show the film DIEP of Michelle: