Dewi Bekker

About

Dewi Bekker is an interdisciplinary artist who explores the ambiguity of identity and the power of role-playing within social structures. She does this by moving back and forth between the recognizable, absurd and grotesque by using the human body, sculpture, masks, textile handicrafts, objects and performance.

Identity is a 24/7 performance where everyone writes a script for the 'I' where the role of the 'I' is fluid depending on the situation and the person you have in front of you. This self-curating of the 'I' shows that our perception of people and things is not an absolute or complete truth but that it is an interplay of pretensions and associations. This ambiguity of identity is a powerful tool through which we interact with others. She sees her work as an ode to role-playing through which she explores the absurdity and everydayness of the interplay between the role played, the spectator, the set and the props.

She is also co-founder of the collective and the eponymous art initiative Das Leben am Haverkamp. The collective Das Leben am Haverkamp is formed by four artists – Anouk van Klaveren, Christa van der Meer, Dewi Bekker and Gino Anthonisse.

Acquired works 

2019    Collection Zeeuws Museum Middelburg NL, acquired two works, VS06_OB08 – totempole and VS24_OB22 – Bib of the project “Ik zie…ribbeltjes…hele spannende ribbeltjes”

2017    Collection Centraal Museum Utrecht (NL), acquired three works of Quirky Cruise by DLAH    

Released publications

2021    Vier attracties, één kermis, Das Leben am Haverkamp, accompanies the solo exhibition series

2018   Zeeuws Museum x Das Leben am Haverkamp, Exhibition catalogue, edited by Das Leben am Haverkamp, published by Zeeuws Museum, graphic design by Studio Lennarts & de Bruijn.

2016    Spacetimewarp, A calendar questioning the concept of time, created by DLAH in collaboration with Marsdiep.

Awards and Grants

2022     Creative Industry Fund NL, Experiment subsidy
2020    We Are Public NL, In Art We Trust Fund awarded DLAH 2018 Stroom Den HaagNL, PRO-Premium, The Hague
2018 Creative Industries Fund NL, research funding awarded to DLAH
2018 Stroom Den Haag NL, PRO-Deo awarded to DLAH, mentorship by Bas Hendrikx
2017 Dutch Design Award – FashionNL,Winner (DLAH), Eindhoven
2017 Dutch Design Award – Young TalentNL,Nominee (DLAH), Eindhoven
2017 VolkskrantNL, Het talent voor 2018, fashion and design, 2ndprice (DLAH)
2014 Stroom Den HaagNL, PRO-Invest, The Hague
2013 Royal Academy of Art NL,Academy Award,Nominee, The Hague


Selected Press

2023

NRC (NL), Drie kunstenaars en een ontwerpcollectief maakten een imaginair parfum, image creation + interview, 4 May

2021

Kunst is Lang (NL) aflevering 173 – Das Leben am Haverkamp, 15 June

AVROTROS, NPO1 (NL) Nu te zien, 5 June

Trouw (NL) Hollandse toeristische trekpleisters met een twist, 29 May

Front Row (NL) publication of Consumptie by Das Leben am Haverkamp, a special for the members of We Are Public, March

2020

In Art We Trust (NL) Vier attracties, een kermis, article by Ben Terwel

FashionUnited (NL), De kracht van het ontwerpcollectief, interview by Natasja Admiraal, 4 August

Parool (NL), Iedereen kan mode maken, article by Edo Dijksterhuis, 3 July
     
De Grote Nederlandse Kunstkalender (NL), edition 2020, photo publication

2019

Jegens & Tevens (NL), Stroom Invest Interviews/artist Dewi Bekker, 13 May

Dream Journal (AUS), Issue Three, 5 May

De Grote Nederlandse Kunstkalender 2019 (NL), page 25 April

2018

NRC (NL), Vanzelfsprekend was de Amsterdamse modeweek nooit, 4 September

Mister Motley Salon (NL), Vier attracties, één kermis, 22 July

Flair (DE/AT), Kuchenkreation von Das Leben am Haverkamp, August issue

i-D Vice (US), meet the radical fashion collective making clothes you can eat, 24 April

See All This, Zeeuws Museum x Das Leben am Haverkamp, no.9, spring issue

Elle Decoration (NL), Salone del Mobile, April

NRC, Tentoonstelling, Op deze expositie moet je het zelf uitzoeken,14 March

Volkskrant, 16 culturele hoogtepunten van 2018, Cultuurtip 8, Originele ontwerpers aan de slag met impressies van museumbezoek, 5 Jan.

Glamcult, Das Leben am Haverkamp teams up with Zeeuws Museum, 16 Feb.

VPRO Nooit Meer Slapen, De Reismicrofoon, 15 Feb.

i-D Vice (NL), Das Leben am Haverkamp raakte geïnspireerd door Zeeuwse folklore, 6 Feb.

2017

Volkskrant V, Het talent van 2018, Mode en design, second place, 28 December (NL)

HP/ De Stijl, Alles Neu!, interview with Das Leben am Haverkamp, winter 2017/18 (NL)

Volkskrant, Dude is wat tijdschrift voor designers moet zijn: vooruitstrevend en elegant, 9 November (NL)

Dude, by BNO, Young Designer Award, herfst 2017 (NL)

Elsevier, Interview met drie kanshebbers voor Young Designer Award, 23 oktober (NL)

Viewpoint, Das Leben am Haverkamp - The fashion rebels, #40 (NL)

Metal Magazine, Das Leben am Haverkamp - Defying fashion as it is, October (ES)

NRC, review Amsterdam Fashion Week, 18 July (NL)

Nylon, Why We’re Obsessed With Amsterdam Fashion Week, 18 July (US)

Metro, Das Leben am Haverkamp opent Fashion Week, 14 July (NL)

Parool, Een schilderij om aan te trekken, 13 July (NL)

Elsevier, Kwartet van solisten in overrompelende show, March (NL)

Glamcult, Meet upcoming fashion designer Dewi Bekker, February (NL)

Fucking Young!, Das Leben am Haverkamp, January (ES)

NRC, 27 January, Nieuwe koers voor Amsterdam Fashion Week (NL)

Volkskrant, 31 January, Overdonderende shows van jong Nederlands talent (NL)

Parool, 26 January, Das Leben am Haverkamp opent Fashionweek met vier shows (NL)

I-D Vice, interview together with Das Leben am Haverkamp, January (NL)

2016

Pairs Project by Eclectic Magazine, #12 Welcome to Cathood, November (FR)

VULKAN magazine, editiorial with Sam Feldt, online (CA)

A Shaded view on Fashion by Diane Pernet, online, (FR)

Eclectic Magazine, Introducing: Das Leben am Haverkamp, January (UK)

2015

Playhaus Magazine, issue 5, editorial, print (US)

Glamcult, issue 8, #116, intro DLAH by Leendert Sonnevelt, print (NL)

LINDA. Wonen, nr 13, editorial, print (NL)

Beyond Man, Entities, editorial, online (IRL)

Lancia Trendvisions, Dewi Bekker adds a little spice and irony to menswear, online (IT)

2014

Ladies&Gents, I was a gay cowboy long before it was cool,byHaris Giannouras, review, online (GR) 

2013         

Vogue Italia, nr. 757 The talent issue, September 2013, print (IT)

Bright, vol 9, September 2013, print (NL)

                                
Textiel Plus, nr 225, autumn 2013, print (NL) 
                         
Glamcult, issue 6, Augustus 2013, print (NL)   
                                    

CV

Dewi Bekker
b. 1990, Lives and works in The Hague (NL)
Co-founder of the collective and art initiative Das Leben am Haverkamp (DLAH)

education/professional experience

2009-2013       Bachelor of Design, Fashion and Textile, Royal
Academy of Art, The Hague
2008-2009      Preparatory course, Gerrit Rietveld Academy, 
Amsterdam

secondary activities

2020-current Curatorial work, program for art Initiative Das Leben am Haverkamp, The Hague (NL)
2021-current Advisor Project Subsidies, Amsterdam Fund for
the Arts (AFK), Amsterdam (NL)
2022-current Advisory Committee PRO Subsides, Stroom Den Haag NL
2017-current    Lecturer, pattern making and tailoring at United Pop Amsterdam (NL)                                                          
2017-current    Guest teaching at a.o. Royal Academy of Art, Hogeschool der Kunsten Utrecht, Artez Zwolle and Arnhem, Gerrit Rietveld Academie.

Selected exhibitions/shows

2023

Kunstpodium T, Tilburg (NL), Apprentice Master #2: Het Bloemetjesgordijn, 2-19 March 2023

Museum JAN, Amstelveen (NL), Ted Noten & co. - Over Waarde,
Quirky Cruise by DLAH, 4 Oct 2023 - 4 Feb 2024

Z33, Hasselt (BE), Fitting In, A Monument of Folly, 1 Oct 2022 - 26 Feb 2023

2022

PIP, The Hague (NL), PIP Expo: Do Geese See God? performative night in collaboration with Eilit Marom and Anouk van Klaveren, 7 Oct 2022

Design Museum Den Bosch (NL), group exhibition Sneakers Under Construction, 1:1 – an encounter between real and fake by DLAH, 11 June – 16 October 2022

Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen (NL), group exhibition Roaring Twenties, Quirky Cruise by DLAH, 17 Oct 2021 – 3 April 2022

2021

Das Leben am Haverkamp, The Hague (NL), Vier attracties, één kermis,  4-25 Sept 2021

Zuiderzeemuseum, Enkhuizen (NL), Must See, The Residents, 3 April – 24 Oct 2021

NEST, The Hague (NL), Out and About, 30 April 2021

Grafische Werkplaats Den Haag (NL), Analog, The Residue is Pitifully Thin, May – July 2021

2020

Quartair, Den Haag (NL) - Artist support fair, Geen bloem zonder wortel 25 Oct - 27 Oct 2020

Eight Cubic Meters, Amsterdam (NL) JOIN Collective Clothes photo exhibition 1 July - 22 Sept 2020

Billytown The Kitchen, The Hague (NL), Glory Collision curated by Atelier Oh Nee, 29 Nov 2019 – 29 Jan 2020

Le Signe - Centre National du Graphisme, Chaumont (FR) De Toutes Façons…,17 Oct 2019 – 22 March 2020

2019

Bureau Europa, Maastricht (NL), New Fashion Narratives - curated by Fashionclash Festival, 17 Oct – 3 Nov

Jan van Eyck, Maastricht (NL), Fashion after Flood - Taskforce Fashion, 3 – 6 Nov

Zeeuws Museum, Middelburg (NL) Zeeuws Museum x Das Leben am Haverkamp, 17 February 2018 - 10 June 2019

Zeeuws Museum, Middelburg (NL), performance Joe for the occasion of the finissage of Zeeuws Museum x Das Leben am Haverkamp, 8 June

Page Not Found, The Hague (NL), A Fictional Turn; Part 3, audio installation related to Zeeuws Museum x Das Leben am Haverkamp,24 May

Centraal Museum Utrecht (NL), Quirky Cruise as part of the permanent setup– Tromp L’oeil, starting April 2018

2018

Modemuze, Modemuze@OBA: Innovation, Quirky Cruise from Das Leben am Haverkamp, Amsterdam (NL) 18 May - 2 Sept

WYSIWYG invites Das Leben am Haverkamp, Grey Space in The Middle, The Hague (NL) 12 May

Quirky Cruise piece as part of the permanent setup - Tromp L'oeil, Centraal Museum Utrecht (NL) from April on

A residence that might remind you of that unique hotel in Magdeburg or that colourful gym where you used to train for tampon hockey, by Dewi Bekker and Anouk van Klaveren for art=ARTIS, ARTIS, Amsterdam (NL) 19 April – 26 August

HOW&WOW - cooperazione! by Crafts Council NL (work by Das Leben am Haverkamp shown) Salone del Mobile, Milan (IT), 17 - 22 April

Heden, Quirky Cruise, work by Das Leben am Haverkamp, The Hague (NL) 3 March - 7 April 

2017

Winner (as part of Das Leben am Haverkamp), Dutch Design Award category Fashion

Nominee(as part of Das Leben am Haverkamp), Dutch Design Award category Young Designer

Dutch Design Awards exhibition (as part of Das Leben am Haverkamp), Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven (NL)

Dutch Design Week, preview Zeeuws Museum x Das Leben am Haverkamp, Eindhoven, (NL)

Uit de Mode, Quirky Cruise by Das Leben am Haverkamp, Centraal Museum, Utrecht (NL)

Pitch Black Photobooth by Eddie The Eagle Museum in collaboration with Das Leben am Haverkamp, Nest, The Hague (NL)

Fashion in Style, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague(NL) - Art direction of the exhibition with DLAH and participating in the exhibition with individual work

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam, Quirky Cruise, opening show by Das Leben am Haverkamp (NL)

Boom City by Fashionclash, Punch Punch and About Asia at Future Center, Chengdu (CHN)

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam, presentation of; A flag, stripes and a guy in green overalls,  Future Generation presents Das Leben am Haverkamp (NL)

Tijdgenoten #2, curated by Glamcult, an installation by DLAH, at nightclub De School, Amsterdam (NL)

2016

Avondwinkel de Buren op 102, presentation of a publication by Das Leben am Haverkamp and Marsdiep, Amsterdam (NL)

Sempering, exhibtion of PLAAT in collaboration with qoowl,  XXI Triennale di Milano International Exhibition, Milan (IT) 

The Show-Off Show,  Exhibition and showroom, initiated by DLAH presentation of ‘ The sun would not catch them on the road’, Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Atelier Neerlandais, Paris (FR)

2015

Granted PRO-Invest subsidy by Stroom Den Haag

GLAMCULT + SPRMRKT, SPRMRKT Amsterdam  (NL)
presentation of Gefelicifashion- a performance by Das Leben am Haverkamp

Gefelicifashion by Das Leben am Haverkamp, Mercedez Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam, Future Generation, Amsterdam (NL)

2014

Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, performance and exhibition in de Tuinzaal with Das Leben am Haverkamp, The Hague (NL)

OBJECT Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NL) - Exhibition

2013                

Modebelofte 2013 – Future Fashions, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven (NL) 

Lichting 2013 supported by G-star RAW, show, Amsterdam Fashion Week (NL)
                                  
Graduation exhibition, The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague(NL)