Bart Hess

PINS AND NEEDLES @Tomorrow ’s Wardrobe 22.5.–27.9./11.10.2026 @ouluntaidemuseo @pasi_rabina Open the door to a new era of fashion, where bold artistic vision meets modern technology and ecological materials. What will tomorrow’s wardrobe look like? This international exhibition explores and paves the way for the future of fashion. Showcasing the creative work of fashion designers in a multidimensional way, it challenges and redefines the boundaries of fashion. The exhibition is part of the European Capital of Culture program and will close in stages, with the upper floor closing on 27 September and the ground floor on 11 October. This extensive exhibition, which occupies almost the entire Oulu Art Museum, showcases current pioneers of fashion design and the names of the future. The designers’ working methods emphasise an experimental approach to renewing the language and expression of clothing, as well as exploring the meanings of gender and body diversity and emphasising ecology. Director : @ruthhogben Danser : erikunderwood Styling : @elliegracecumming Sound design : @matthias Kispert

SHAVED on display 22.5.–27.9./11.10.2026 Tomorrow’s Wardrobe @ouluntaidemuseo @pasi_rabina Open the door to a new era of fashion, where bold artistic vision meets modern technology and ecological materials. Model : @coenkoch What will tomorrow’s wardrobe look like? This international exhibition explores and paves the way for the future of fashion. Showcasing the creative work of fashion designers in a multidimensional way, it challenges and redefines the boundaries of fashion. The exhibition is part of the European Capital of Culture program and will close in stages, with the upper floor closing on 27 September and the ground floor on 11 October. This extensive exhibition, which occupies almost the entire Oulu Art Museum, showcases current pioneers of fashion design and the names of the future. The designers’ working methods emphasise an experimental approach to renewing the language and expression of clothing, as well as exploring the meanings of gender and body diversity and emphasising ecology.

‘This is Not Ai’ - interview with @cotf_classicsofthefuture Mayra Kanakis : I’ll shift to the emphasis of technology in your work for a bit. I was hesitant to talk about AI because everyone’s asking about it right now. But there was one little headline that I saw that made me want to bring this up with you. H&M was one of the first fashion brands to replace physical models with AI digital twins, and it made me think about, first, the intellectual copyright of your face, but also, how technology is kind of accelerating these things. And your work is very much one-off in nature, it is not specifically meant to be replicated at scale. So, I’m curious to see how you see the impact of AI on your work. BH: Well, One Impact Is That People Now Read My Work Differently. People Will Assume That My Work Is Created With AI And That Is The Total Opposite Of What I’m Trying To Do. I Am Really Analog, But I Also Really Enjoy This Digital Glitch Vibe. Even My Work From Twenty Years Back, Based On How It Looks, People Could Say They Were Generated With AI. So, You Almost Want To Have A Statement Saying That This Is Not Created With AI Even Though It Looks Very Digitally Manipulated—Dream-Like Blurriness And All Sorts Of Translations That Are Now In Video AI.

NEW! For the short film ‘SWEETMEAT’, Dutch artist Bart Hess frames a playful performance at the intersection of machismo and homoeroticism as two opponents lock bodies 🏋🏻‍♂️⁠ ⁠ Presented as part of the Am I Masculine? exhibition at NoordBrabants Museum in the Netherlands, the installation film centers a new combat sport of Hess’ own creation, wherein opponents are engaged in a fight choreography, while eating sweets from each other’s bodies, exploring the glorification of violence in male representation ⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to watch the full film on NOWNESS🎥⁠ ⁠ Director @barthess ⁠ Choreography @simon.bus ⁠ Wrestlers @wilchaan @charlieskuy ⁠ With the help of @nederlandsfilmfonds ⁠ Am I masculine? is on show @hetnoordbrabantsmuseum , curated by @roberto.lumar

✨It’s a wrap ✨ What started as an idea became something so much bigger - a space for stories, presence, and performance. “Labour That Leaves Traces” brought together photography, voice, and live moments that stayed with us long after the night ended. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who was part of this, the performers, @jainfellain @poledancepocahontas @rustyrosexoxo @maryhoochie and collaborator @wereldmuseum.rotterdam , and everyone who came, listened, and held space with us. Here are the final videos from this project. Thank you for witnessing, for supporting, and for being there with us 💛

"In a typical dance performance, the audience is usually kept at a distance, in Double Helix, you can get up close. That’s why every detail matters." In this interview, artist and designer @barthess takes you through the themes of Double Helix, his work signature and the thrilling mix of dance, installation, art, and design. Double Helix is an immersive experience where artistic director Nanine Linning and Bart Hess explore the physical impact of technology on the human body. Experience it during @rotterdamartweek March 20–29 at the @katoenhuis | Tickets via scapinoballet.nl 🎟 Video & edit | @iris_hendrikss

Tonight! Labour That Leaves Traces A collaboration between @Striptopia and @barthess for Museumnacht at Wereldmuseum Rotterdam Saturday, March 7 | 20:00–01:00 This project explores sex work as a form of embodied labour - labour whose physical, emotional, and social impact accumulates over time. Four portraits are paired with the personal stories of the women depicted, ensuring that image and voice are always experienced side by side. Throughout the night, the space will be activated by live performances in which the women themselves perform; an expression of authorship, professional skill, and bodily autonomy. Make sure to get your ticket and come see the full series this weekend.

Lucyandbart @bozarbrussels 7 march - 19 aug ‘26 Exhibition : Picture Perfect This exhibition explores how artists depict and challenge established norms of who is considered beautiful

Labour That Leaves Traces A collaboration between Striptopia and Bart Hess for Museumnacht at Wereldmuseum. Saturday, March 7 | 20:00–01:00 This project explores sex work as a form of embodied labour - labour whose physical, emotional, and social impact accumulates over time. Four portraits are paired with the personal stories of the women depicted, ensuring that image and voice are always experienced side by side. Throughout the night, the space will be activated by live performances in which the women themselves perform; an expression of authorship, professional skill, and bodily autonomy. Here’s a sneak peek of our first image with @poledancepocahontas Make sure to get your ticket and come see the full series this weekend.

Move through Double Helix like a museum. But this time, the artworks breathe. They shift. They look back. A glimpse into the hybrid future of humanity 🧬 Created by artistic director @naninelinning_official & @barthess Experience it inside @katoenhuis during Rotterdam Art Week. 🗓️ 20 - 29 March Tickets via scapinoballet.nl Photography | Emmanuel Viverge

What does it mean to be human when technology and the body start to merge? During Rotterdam Art Week, step into Double Helix at the Katoenhuis. Not a traditional performance, but an immersive experience that pulls you in. Together, @naninelinning_official and @barthess create a distorted world where hybrid bodies and movement blur the line between human and machine. Edit | Iris Hendriks @iris_hendrikss Video Imagery | Onno van Ameijde @ovamus

Sweetmeat première this Thursday 29 January @hetnoordbrabantsmuseum Exhibition : AM I MASCULINE? SweetMeat explores the paradox of attraction and repulsion in a film in which two opponents, engaged in a fight choreography, eat sweets from each other’s bodies while a scoreboard tracks progress. The mix of macho behavior and homoeroticism offers visitors an intriguing experience that can shake up their perception and emotions regarding masculinity and sexuality. Director : @barthess Choreograpgy: @simon.bus Danser/ wrestlers: @wilchaan @charlieskuy Mede mogelijk door @nederlandsfilmfonds Curator Am I masculine : @roberto.lumar