Madeleine Berkhemer

Art has to tease, please and seduce and is allowed to make the viewer feel uncomfortable. Anything goes, as long as it does not leave people unmoved. Rotterdam-based artist Madeleine Berkhemer (1973-2019) considered sensuality and eroticism to be fundamental parts of life. She used various art forms and techniques to explore the power of the female body and the way it evokes both desire and discomfort. Berkhemer made drawings, collages, (stocking) sculptures, installations and performances, often using her own body.

After training as a fashion designer, Berkhemer soon decided to focus entirely on art. The physical aspect of fashion and the glamour surrounding continued to play an important role in her sensual and theatrical work, which was based on the body, role-playing and beauty. Numerous collaborations with famous photographers and (fashion) designers complete the collage-like coherence of Berkhemer’s highly varied oeuvre. This richly illustrated book is the first overview of her work.

This book is an initiative of the Madeleine Berkhemer Foundation.