Mathilde ter Heijne
TRAGEDY

The psyche of human beings, the Spannungsbogen* of mutual understanding and not understanding and the question of cultural differences determine the work and thinking of the Dutch artist Mathilde der Heijne (1969).

Her subject is self-sacrifice for one’s own, as for propagated ideals, for love or for one’s own country. Detached and uncompromising, she works to the limits of social and individual behaviour and cultural differences. In this way she examines the concept and expectation of love in different geographical surroundings, the integration attempts in our western latitudes or how far dogmatisms in politics affect individual behaviour.

Ter Heijne links fiction and documentary material to fragile narration. She uses this in order to involve the observer in equally unstable realities. Art in this case offers the necessary everyday distance which enables her to enforce the confrontation.

Curated by Heike Munder