- when
- February 5, 2026 - February 28, 2026
- where
- EXboot
- open at
- opening soon on Feb 5
The loneliness that winter can bring was the driving force behind Hazel van Berkel's exhibition "The Gentleness of a Stranger." This installation, consisting of dozens of lost gloves, depicts the hidden connection between people in times of withdrawal and isolation. Van Berkel picked up the gloves, as one might hold another's hand in need of help. In this way, the gloves become more than just a lost object, but also a source of support and comfort in difficult times.
In the exhibition, Van Berkel treats the exhibition space as an archive, in which the found gloves are carefully structured, numbered and even ironed into shape.
The EXboot isn't yet the final destination of this comforting collection. Van Berkel invites visitors to the exhibition to choose a glove to collect at the end of the exhibition (at the beginning of spring). The recipient can then decide whether to return the glove to its original location—determined by the included coordinates—or to hold the comforting object for a little while longer.
