The aim of the evening was to improve the visibility of artists by providing them with unexpected solutions to present and distribute their work. This party was very much a first step in a long and exciting road that is ahead of us. However, these are precisely the type of unforeseen experiences that Semester 9 intends to offer.

Artwork: ILSE KIND

Let us guide you through the flow of this mesmerizing night; Earlier in the evening there was a mysterious atmosphere, carried by experimental sounds of Djaro, the first Dj in our line up. His music formed the appropriate backdrop for art installations made by artists Sophie Scheurs and Ernest Bessems. We noticed that people were struck by a sense of perplexity in relation to all that was happening within the venue. The eerie projections of Ilse Kind caught people off guard, both outside and inside. The ‘camera obscura’ like installation by Thieu Kessels gave the audience an unexpected discovery in the back of the venue. After this discovery phase we noticed that everybody started to increasingly ease in and move their feet.

installation ILSE KIND
Performance ERNEST BESSEMS, installation SOPHIE SCHREURS, installation THIEU KESSELS

As the DJ’s started playing more upbeat music we saw the audience shifting towards the dancefloor. The VJ sets of Sophie Scheurs and Doron Beuns effortlessly accompanied this shift. Their visual contributions made both the crowd and the music come to live. Their images were both humorous, aesthetically pleasing but also thought provoking to those that paid closer attention. This certainly gave another dimension to the party and reinforced the DJ set in an engaging and playful manner.

Vj set: DORON BEUNS

Two more highlights of the evening were the performances by Sjeng Kessels and Vera Kersting (performed by Naomi Quashie). These performances created provocative interventions between the various DJ sets of the night. All of a sudden there was no music, which must have come as a surprise to those expecting a smooth transition to the next DJ-set in the line up. The performances took place in total silence which made them feel slightly out of place. However, these are precisely the type of unforeseen experiences that Semester 9 intends to offer. We told you in advance; This is not your typical party!

Performance: SJENG KESSELS Performance: VERA KERSTING (performed by NAOMI QUASHIE)

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photographer MARTIJN KUYVENHOVEN