MaHKU Platform: Conversation with Jeanne van Heeswijk

Jeanne van Heeswijk’s projects are characterized by social engagement. Her aim is both to stimulate and develop cultural production. Another part of her artistic practice is creating new public spaces, functioning as possible platforms, or transforming existing spaces for this aim. To accomplish this, she often collaborates with artists, designers, architects, software developers, local authorities, and citizens. Taking her recent projects such as De Strip, Stedelijklab Slotervaart, and Dwaallicht as a starting point, Jeanne van Heeswijk examines the question of producing artistic models for political participation during her talk.

Jeanne van Heeswijk (Schijndel, 1965) studied Visual Arts at the Jan van Eyck Academie, Maastricht (1988-1990) and Art Education at the Academy of Fine Arts and Education, Tilburg (1983-1988).

This talk is part of MAHKU Platform, a monthly forum for artistic and theoretical reflection in collaboration with the Utrecht Graduate School of Visual Art and Design. In 2005, MAHKU platform focuses on examining the questions posed by art theorist Irit Rogoff during the performance The World Question Center (Reloaded) part 3, Now What? Dreaming a better world in six parts: “How can we understand what it means to take part in visual culture, outside the conventional roles of producer, spectator, etc.? How do we insert ourselves into objects on display?”