Back to stories
Loes de Boer_self portrait_untitled_2023

LOES DE BOER

Loes de Boer draws on her extensive knowledge of feminist art history to create portraits that challenge the contemporary notion of being a female, queer artist. By showcasing her sculptural compositions of the human body alongside photographs of inanimate objects, de Boer constructs visual riddles that explore the themes of identity and sexuality, all while presenting a narrative that is uniquely hers.

Your work is inspired by your research of feminist artists. Can you share how you were first introduced to this field of study and why it inspires you?

I recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, where I spent much time reading and learning about different artists. At one point, I got introduced to queer/feminist artists ranging from the 20’s and 70’s, and that struck a chord with me. The imagery I connected with from the 20s was surrealistic, with an almost ghost-like quality that intrigued me. What inspired me about the 70s was the development of the medium, how photography became a vehicle for performance art and political activism. Both these aspects have a powerful impact on my practice, and I approach every project with that combination in mind. I strive to create hazy and dreamlike imagery, but with definite whispers of political activism.

I’m curious to know how the use of a self-portrait changes the narrative of your imagery. Is there something in particular that sparked you to want to explore self-portraiture?

It started during my studies. I had these specific visions in mind, sculptural photography I wanted to make. What is so good about self-portraits and still-lifes, you don’t need someone for it. I don’t have to ask anybody to be in weird staging positions for me, because I am not after the perfect portrait anyway. At a certain point, I thought, “Why don’t I try to photograph myself?” I gave myself the assignment for a while to make a self-portrait every day. Here, I allowed myself to produce work with less focus on the face and more on the body as a sculpture. At that time, I think using myself gave me more freedom to explore.

Loes de Boer_still life 6
Given the broader historical references that you tackle in your work, in what ways do you think using your own body and story reflects on themes of feminism and identity?

It is funny because I actually don’t like being in front of the camera. But in my practice, using my own body is something inherently political. With my frame of reference in mind, for example Claude Cahun and Francesca Woodman, it only made sense for me to start experimenting with self-portraits. Other than the political notion, Ruth Bernhard is one of my inspirations. She is known for her sculptural portraits of female nudes combined with still lifes. She turns the act of observation into an uplifting experience. I was intrigued by how she sees objects as forms and sculptures, and how that relates to the female body. There is a transformative quality to all her images that inspired me to think of the body like that.

Similarly, with your still-life imagery, how do you decide what objects to photograph and how do they relate to sexuality and womanhood?

My goal is to create metaphors that relate to womanhood, fluidity, and queer iconography. An important aspect for me is that there should always be something a little off, either eerie or dreamy. Sometimes I have a clear object in mind that is related to a specific metaphor I want to address. And sometimes it’s more subconscious – I don’t even know why certain objects or compositions speak to me. It’s a dialogue I have with myself that I’m not fully aware of. For example, there is a work of mine, an image of a pan with water and oil. That feels almost like a self-portrait in itself. There is something in it that I can not explain – like my work is presenting a question, rather than offering an answer. I want people to observe my work and to think about what they see.

Finally, what’s next in your work? Are there other themes or imagery that you are personally interested in exploring, or do you allow the work to guide you to new discoveries?

At the moment, I am thinking of how my self-portraits could blend with archival images from my childhood, and images encountered during my research. Like image montages, fading into the past, present and future. There is so much vital lesbian queer archival material to be found on and offline. An archive is not just a material site of the past, but living and breathing through reinterpretation. Next to that project, I have always shared a love for fashion photography. It is such a versatile medium. I think Viviane Sassen is a good example of that, and she’s someone that I look up to so much. The way that she has approached her practice from the very start. She always had a stamp that was undoubtedly hers, so when she tapped into fashion, it still represented her vision. Or maybe it was fashion tapping into her, which is the goal, right? For the world to come to you. I think that’s what I’d like for my future.

txt by Veronica Allara