Works as part of New Viewings / Barbara Thumm Galerie included ‘DEFENDER’, an online exhibition curated by Gabriel Rolt.

Artists: Adam Broomberg, Nik Christensen, Shezad Dawood, Bertien van Manen, Lisette Ros.

why am i doing this? Failure
to keep my work in order so as
to be able to find things
to paint the house
to earn enough money to live on
to reorganize the house so as
to be able to paint the house &
to be able to find things and
earn enough money so as
to be able to put books together
to publish works and books
to have time

(fragment of Failures in Infinitives
by Bernadette Mayer)

This work is about researching the convention of ‘rondjes lopen’ – ‘walking around in circles’ and originates from 2015. 

During these times of the Corona virus outbreak, surviving mostly in our homes, Dutchies are allowed to get some fresh air outside, the so-called intelligent lockdown. This results in a lot of walking around the neighborhood, as well as a lot of walking in circles inside my small apartment. This action works very therapeutic, I do it a lot. It uplifts the convention of ‘rondjes lopen’.

Therefore, this work was revised and presented again as a renewed version, now more relevant than ever and in collaboration with videographer Joao mb Costa.

The Mirror is about narcissistic bodily behavior. The modern (Western) society is drenched with narcissistic behavior, as are we, as are you and as am I. Some have already announced the narcissism epidemic* years ago. Psychiatry is the reflective mirror of the world we are living in and patients are the symptom carriers of a disease where the entire society will be suffering from.

The artist is being confronted and immersed in the black, diseased water and wallows in her own reflection. The narcissism survives. 

*Twenge, J.M., Campbell, K.W., 2009, The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, Simon & Schuster


© Lisette Ros