JOYCE OVERHEUL

Dutch artist Joyce Overheul is a woman of powerful imagery. Activism, feminism, emancipation and women's rights are close to her heart and she reflects this in her art. She criticises injustice in the world and shares her own experiences. Each work conveys a strong message to the viewer: question everything and make it negotiable.​

Unconventional materials such as textiles, photography and other media tell a political story about a contemporary or historical theme. For instance, her series of tapestries made of beadwork with mocking remarks aimed to address themes such as sexism and mysogyny. Her 'soft series', in which she made replicas of weapons out of pale pink satin and organza, creates a contrast with the original state of a weapon: soft, pink and useless, rather than harmful, dark and deadly. The materials Joyce uses, such as velvet, silk and beads, together with the image, form the message of the artwork.