Kiki on Steroids! ran from 18 October 2008 until 4 January 2009. The opening took place on the 17th of October at 20:00 in the presence of the artists.
In the darkness of a labyrinth, visitors were confronted with XX Boys by Kael T Block. This French photographer took photographs of transboys: boys who used to be girls. Also on show was Lupe by Bogomir Doringer, about the complex and personal process of transformation from man to woman to man. This was supplemented by Women with Beards by Ine Poppe and Jetty Verhoeff. This project from 1997 consists of a collection of photographs of 'hairy babes of the month', that were originally revealed on the internet one by one, until they formed a complete year-calendar.
My aim is to bring frivolous fun to manhood.
I was waiting for somebody to reconstruct a new icon for me. Some icons made gestures in the right direction. but never went all the way - my way.
So I was sick and tired of waiting and decided to become my own icon. You are as free as you allow yourself to be.
Music itself does not discriminate gender, so that's why I use it to entertain.
I am both king and queen.
Lupe
Kiki Do It Yourself
The exhibition Kiki on Steroids! challenged visitors to play with their own gender-identity. A series of Youtube videos demonstrated how you could -temporarily- change gender. With the free IkTag and the IkCam you were able to experiment with your new look and publish your pictures directly online. There were also special evenings with presentations and workshops to transform those who were present completely. The visitor was also given the choice to be photographed as half man - half woman, or let him or herself be restyled by professional make-up artists.
ikikik! series
Kiki on Steroids! was part of the ikikik! series about selfrepresentation on the internet. How do people present themselves online? The web is the ideal place to present a perfect version of yourself, by choosing to display only your most fashionable pictures, your coolest contacts and your most intellectual thoughts. But the internet is also the place where you can be yourself. You can spill your secret thoughts and worst fears, and find like-minded people to talk to. With Kiki on Steroids! we highlighted the strong online presence of the transgender community.
Exhibition Team
Tanja Baudoin, Alice Bodansky, Martin Butler, Ivan Kadelburg, Anuschka Linse, Bram Loogman, Mhairi Macfarlane, Katja Novitskova, Jans Possel, Willem Velthoven, Wikke van Weelderen.
