To coincide with Marijke De Roovers participation in the exhibition ‘Together’ at MuKHA, Antwerp to celebrate Antwerp Pride, Arcade is pleased to present a series of memes from the young Belgian artist.

“Memes ought to be critically interpreted as texts!

Far from trivial, memes have been used to communicate political resistance and to develop a language, carrying the instructions for the reproduction of culture. Popularity and understanding are not default to progressive and inclusive memes. Rather, the simplification of the characters of memes rely on normative power structures, ultimately spreading stereotypical representations. Looking at gender in anonymous online spaces (where memes mostly circulate) we see they are more hostile and unwelcoming to anyone who does not identify as white and male. Sexualisation and objectification are far more common when social stigma can be detached from online actions.

In the series ‘niche content for frustrated queers’ I affirm heteronormativity as the prevailing sexual orientation. But in light of Generation Y’s online pessimism and self mockery, I am inspired by memes like a.o. ‘distracted boyfriend’ ‘drake hotline bling meme’, ‘there are no girls on the internet’ and ‘fun with foucault’ to express a way of thinking that shows how institutionalized heterosexuality structures gender, as well as other stratification categories, and closes off any critical analysis of its consequences. The ‘unsuccesful’ (because non viral, niche) memes deal with ideas of a wide variety of (in this series) coupling practices (e.g., dating, parties, marriage, and heartbreak) that secure the intersection of several consequential social hierarchies including gender, class, sexual orientation and institutional power.”

Marijke De Roover

The M HKA, in partnership with Antwerp Pride, is organising the exhibition TOGETHER., curated by artist Philip Huyghe. A selection of the invited artists, including Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen, Marijke De Roover, Philip Huyghe and Stef Van Looveren, will work together in a bubble of their own on themes that strengthen the LGBTQIA+ community, and create an inclusive exhibition.

This year was to be the festive year that would celebrate the first ever Gay Pride Parade. Fifty years ago, on 28 June 1970, exactly one year after the infamous Stonewall riots, the first Gay Pride Parade took place in New York. These two historical events mark the birth of the LGBTQIA+ Civil Rights Movement, which has managed to implement its agenda around the world, thereby bringing about one of the most important social shifts of our times.

Marijke De Roover (BE, 1990) received her Bachelor (2011) and Master of Arts (2013) at KASK, Ghent, BE before completing her residency at HISK, Higher Institute of Fine Arts, Ghent in 2018. She recently opened her 1st Museum solo exhibition and series of performance works at De Pont, Tilburg, NL; ‘Together’, MuKHA, Antwerp is on until September 6th.

London Collective on Vortic Collect

London Collective is a new section on the Vortic Collect app, bringing together 40 of the UK’s leading commercial galleries to present exhibitions on the new extended reality app for the art world.

London Collective consists of 40 art dealers and gallerists who came together in recognition that this is a defining moment of change in how art is accessed. Whilst a number of London galleries have recently reopened, travel and other restrictions mean many people are still unable to visit exhibitions in person.

In the London Collective section of the Vortic Collect app, galleries will show specially curated presentations, providing them with an additional virtual space to complement their physical gallery programmes.

The new initiative enables galleries to support one another by sharing their audiences and enables visitors to simulate the experience of visiting multiple London gallery locations.

The Vortic Collect app is available to download from the App Store and the Vortic VR app will be available for download from the Oculus Store from late summer 2020.