Petra van der Schoot

Date: 7 March - 5 April 2003

Petra van der Schoot completely transformed the exhibition space on the Toussaintkade with a surprising installation. She constructed two personal panoramas inspired by the famous Panorama Mesdag.

At the center stands a round, enclosed space that can only be entered from above via a footbridge and a spiral staircase leading down. Inside, it is dark, and the walls light up as if you are standing in a spatial aquarium. In the lightboxes beneath the water surface, mostly headless figurines appear in puzzling and claustrophobic situations.

Surrounding this "aquarium room" is a circular, elongated table. Upon it unfolds a Bruegelian sequence of surreal events, featuring countless Barbie dolls. They have been mutilated in bizarre ways and act out a wide range of fantastic and frightening scenarios. In a masterful way, Petra van der Schoot staged her inner panorama.

With music by Piet-Jan Van Rossum.

Petra van der Schoot (born 1964, lives and works in The Hague) studied at the St. Joost Academy of Fine Arts in Breda (majoring in sculpture) and at the Brabants Conservatory in Tilburg as well as the Royal Conservatory in The Hague (cello and contemporary music in relation to various art disciplines). Since 1987, she has been active as a visual artist, musician, and lyricist.