
Counterbodies
GRAW
18, 19, 20 September 2026
De Achtertuin, Oostzeedijk 108, Rotterdam
FRIDAY 18:00 - 21:00
SATURDAY 12:00 - 18:00
SUNDAY 12:00 - 18:00
Counterbodies brings together a diverse group of artists, each offering a distinct interpretation of the human body as a thematic and visual source for research, experiment, and expression. Through drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, embroidery, and digital art, the participating artists explore the body's many facets: its beauty, vulnerability, strength, and its ever-changing corporeality. The exhibition's heart is a deeper inquiry into the body's social, cultural, and political meanings. These artists challenge conventional representations, addressing the body as both a site of personal identity and a cultural construct. By presenting provocative and sometimes uncomfortable works, Counterbodies sparks a dialogue that encourages visitors to confront their perceptions, biases, and taboos surrounding the body. The body is not only an object of desire or stigma but a vessel carrying emotional, social, and psychological significance. This exhibition creates a space for renewed exploration of the body as a dynamic medium of expression, one that shapes and is shaped by the world around it. Counterbodies invites visitors and artists into that conversation: to question preconceived notions and expand their understanding of the body in all its forms.
List of participating artists:
Leon Stoffelen
Karin Arink
Amrith de Zoete
Eliot Allsop
Nikki Vroom
Sigrid Saminte Ekeland
Studio NVDP
Atty Bax
Luis Xertu
Jolanda Linssen
Rolf den Dunnen
Art direction and curation:
Vladimir Radujkov
Huge thank you to our partners:
De Achtertuin
Counterbodies is made possible by:
Gemeente Rotterdam, Gebiedscommissie Kralingen Crooswijk,
Volkskracht, Cultuur Concreet
Special thanks to:
Melanie Tissen
Photo credits:
Jan Arsenovic