Djannah

when: February 1, 2024 - February 25, 2024
where: EXboot

Through her art practice Adriana Joëlle Jochems discovers the subjects of the finite and infinite, experience of time and memories. How do we (humans) deal with everything that has happened in the past and how does it influence our being in the here and now? Why do we cherish objects from the past, and why do we hold on to something that has already been? Investigating how these objects and materials can carry the meaning of the past, she tries to get a grip on these objects and their spirits through experimentation. What happens if there are no people to fixate these objects, and what is the hierarchy between these humans and objects and materials?

One of the most important aspects of her research has been the subject of lineairity and especially non- lineairity. Discovering what happens when we look at our concept of time differently and how can it give us freedom to fantasize about different realities in making work By reconstructing aspects of my own memories, Joëlle creates a new narrative and tries to show the transiency of materials and objects through her sculptures and installations.

The formation of these new narratives mostly comes together in the form of an installation. Not only looking is important but also smelling and feeling is required to fully experience most of the works.

About Djannah

In the installation “Djannah,” Adriana Joëlle has created a landscape consisting of several sculptures connected by water. A year ago, she visited Marrakesh where she was inspired by the gardens there and the so-named hydraulic systems.

“I can always greatly appreciate quiet places in big cities, those two worlds that come together then I find very fascinating. A video explained these water transport systems that ran through these gardens, it turned out there was much more behind it than just the transport of water. Water is a hugely important aspect within Islamic culture, so it is often central to the construction of houses. Thus, many houses have a patio with a fountain where one can wash and they place great value on a hammam (steam bath). Not only the physical part but also the ritual and spiritual aspect is important here.”

Once back home, these systems, geometric shapes, and rituals kept running through her mind. Joelle has always had a fascination with rituals and symbolism within religion. Thus rituals/repetitive aspects often recur in her work and it always has religious undertones. This installation is a start from a fascination for that Moroccan architecture and is now transformed into a landscape which starts a new narrative within the context of EXboot.

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about Adriana Joëlle Jochems

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Plan a visit

Current exhibition

This exhibition is closed. This is showing at EXboot now:

Jul 3

Jul 27

Kantika di Galiña (The Hen's Song)

Timothy Voges

Curaçao has a rich oral tradition. For generations, stories, customs, and superstitions were passed down by word of mouth: from grandmothers sitting on the stoop to storytelling men gathered under a tree. It was a way of life, a compass for everyday existence. But now in modern times, many of these stories have slowly faded, and their meanings have been forgotten. What was once second nature now surviving only in vague memories. Timothy Voges grew up surrounded by these tales. As a child, he listened to stories that frightened him, made him laugh, or left him quietly in awe. Some seemed magical, others oppressive, but they were always part of life. Now, years later and far from his home island, he feels a deep urge to give these stories space again. Not through words, but through images. By painting them in oil, he breathes new life into these old narratives, allowing them to be told again and take root once more in the memories of others. In this series of paintings, superstition and folklore take center stage. Each work is a fragment of a larger story, a single detail that is both deeply personal and broadly universal. There are hens that crow like roosters, believed to be a sign of misfortune. And there is the “moth of death,” a large black moth that enters a house uninvited, said to be an omen of death. These symbols are deeply embedded in Curaçaoan culture, even if people no longer remember exactly why. Beyond superstition, the paintings also reflect Timothy’s own childhood: snapshots of memory, steeped in nostalgia. By painting these elements, they gain a new physical presence. They become tangible, visible, open to conversation again. The works become vessels of culture — spaces where memory and imagination meet. In a world where oral traditions are steadily disappearing, visual art offers an alternative way to keep history alive.

where

Nijverheidskade 15
3534AZ Utrecht

EXboot is vanwege de unieke en beperkte omvang van de cultuurhistorische locatie enkel te voet te betreden en niet rolstoeltoegankelijk. Er zijn (nog) geen voorzieningen voor slechthorenden.

Een groep jonge mannen kijkt door het raam van de EXboot naar binnen

Always at EXboot

Het zandpadmuseum

"I cherish both my present and my past. In addition to being a place for groundbreaking art, one of my rooms also houses the Zandpad Museum. Here, I share the story of my illustrious past and introduce you to people who know me well—inside and out. Take a seat on my stool, gaze out the window, and listen to the many stories surrounding my existence."

Short documentary ‘Het Zandpad’

In the 'Zandpad Museum', you can watch a short documentary about the origins of the Zandpad. The Zandpad used to be a strip of boats in the river Vecht, where sexworkers could fullfill their profession legaly. The documentary features numerous audio fragments of conversations with various people involved, including a former sex worker and former mayor Aleid Wolfsen.

This Zandpad documentary was created by Sylvie Kamphuis & Jaap Pronk (directors), Bram Engelaar (camera), Doenja Abel (production), Twan Bracco Gartner (music), and Bald Beeld (editing). Special thanks to the interviewees: Aleid Wolfsen (former mayor of Utrecht), Brenda Oude Breuil (criminologist at Utrecht University), Jannie Teunissen (De Tussenvoorziening), the former sex worker, and the former client of the Zandpad.

The documentary was made possible with support from the Municipality of Utrecht, K.F. Heinfonds, Mondriaan Fund, and RTV Utrecht.

All about EXboot