Sietske van Aerde — 1000 girls, A place we go
In her film 1000 Girls A Place We Go, Sietske Van Aerde explores identity and resilience through playful transformations, drawing inspiration from the shape-shifting nymphs of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Seamlessly blending everyday portraits of colorful characters with striking body-paint metamorphoses, the video work captures how clothing, makeup, and hair serve as vital instruments for self-definition and navigating a heavy world. This cinematic foundation expands into a multi-sensory experience through an evocative soundscape by Emeline Descreaux and a collaborative live performance developed with Clara Lissens. Acting as a living echo of the film, the performance brings the original textile drawings and costumes into a physical, spatial reality. Refined during a residency at STUK, this multidisciplinary fusion of film, sound, scenography, and live activation by guest artists culminates in a series of tableaux vivants, which Van Aerde will further present on May 7, 2026, at Vonk in Hasselt.