Fiona Lutjenhuis - Ankhmania
On 22 November, Fiona Lutjenhuis' solo exhibition Ankhmania opens at 1646, consisting of new work, performances and site-specific murals.
People have always sought answers beyond the rational, in an attempt to explain the often harsh reality we find ourselves in. Fiona Lutjenhuis grew up in a cult with a very different worldview from her contemporaries. After leaving her family, she gradually came to terms with this upbringing and found a way to make it the main subject of her artistic practice.
Secret societies, a mix of science fiction and esotericism, supernatural beings from other planets - she was told it all as a child and developed a strong autonomous rationality to make sense of it all.
Ankhmania
The title of the exhibition Ankhmania, Lutjenhuis' total installation at 1646, touches on an intimate memory. It refers to the name of an alien that was very present in Lutjenhuis' family. It was both a healing tool and a messenger channelled through spiritual mediums. It also refers to the ancient Egyptian symbol ‘Ankh’, which stands for eternal life, immortality, death and rebirth and was an integral part of the decorations in the house.
The exhibition explores themes such as the supernatural, death, god(s) and religion. Amid bread baking, psychedelic environments, a sense of parallel worlds, confusion and humour, the artist makes us reflect on the influence imaginary worlds can have on our understanding of reality.