Performative exhibition: Investigation of Love
The performative exhibition ‘Investigation of Love’, took place in my apartment in the West of Amsterdam on 5th and 6th October 2019. The duration of the performance was 8 hours each day. The audience was asked to book a time slot of 30 min, during that time they were allowed to observe my home and me, as a part of it. I was performing my daily routine (i.e. dressing, cooking, meditating, eating, working).
Investigation of Love is a story about privacy, politics, immigration, bureaucracy, and love. The project was inspired by my application for a Dutch residence permit. After I submitted the various documents as proof of my romantic relationship, there was the looming chance that they would be doubted. The bureaucratic authorities reserved the right to visit my personal home unannounced if the evidence I provided was deemed questionable. But what can be considered real evidence of love? And how can one investigate the validity of personal affairs? And what would be left of one's privacy? During the performance, the audience was invited to step into the immigration system officer's shoes and answer those questions for yourself by investigating my daily life.
The exhibition is a physical continuation of the photographic book project, Investigation of Love. The book was published in 2018 and received the Dutch Photo Book Prize, the FOTO WIEN Photobook Award and the PHotoEspaña 2019 Discoveries Award.
Performance adviser: Leela May Stokholm
Support: Mondriaan Fonds
'Investigation of Love’ performance, video documentation, 07’38 min, 2019
‘2016-2019’ installation from performative exhibition Investigation of Love. Various household objects, wooden boxes, 2019
‘2016-2019’ installation from performative exhibition Investigation of Love. Various household objects, wooden boxes, 2019
‘Anniversary’, Inkjet print, 2019