Carmen Schabracq (Amsterdam, NL, 1988) creates paintings, sculptural installations, masks and performances in which the theatricality of life plays an important role. She gathers stories from various myths, traditions and her own experiences and uses them to create collage-like visual narratives. The mask is a recurring object and theme in her work, which she uses to explore the complexity of human identity. A mask is a tool within a ritual or performance, to become 'the other' and she plays with this in various ways. Her work is also a form of escapism because of the characters she places in spaces of colour. A way to briefly escape from this world and imagine yourself in another, full of playfulness and humour, to deal with the layered reality of life and death. Just as folkloric rituals and traditions do, for instance in the celebration of the seasons, to propitiate the gods, scare off demons and devils or celebrate fertility. Schabracq's work is a stylised theatre of her own cosmos, with references from art history and folklore such as costumes. Carmen was born in Amsterdam (1988), where she now lives and works. In 2012 she obtained her BA in fine arts from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, after a year of painting studies at the Academia di Belle Arti in Rome. In 2015 she obtained her MA in theater costume design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, with a research and body of work she called 'naked masks'. In 2017-2018 she received the ‘new makers subsidy’ from the Performing Arts Fund NL, with which she made two in situ performances in Zeeland. Her work has been shown in several museums, like Amsterdam Museum, Stedelijk Museum Breda, Museum Tot Zover, Amsterdam and Nest, The Hague.
miart 2025 For MIART 2026 we present a shared booth, together with Red Lab Gallery Milano, where we will show the work of Dutch artist Carmen Schabracq (1988). The artist collects elements from mythology, folklore, cultural traditions, art history and her personal experiences and uses them to create her own visual narratives.
In our booth we will show works on paper, ceramic and textile masks and tapestries presented in combination with a mural. The artist's masks build on traditions of evil-defying sculpture and ornamentation found in architecture worldwide, such as gargoyles or antefixes. They often depict devilish figures, because evil is deterred by its own reflection. These sculptural masks are intended to protect a space and the people within. The artist's masks show her interpretations of devils and other apotropaic creatures she encountered during her research travels and residencies in Italy, Eastern Europe, the Netherlands and Mexico. The shape of the vulva is also recognizable in several of her works. The vulva, representing birth, fertility and the female sex, stands in opposition to evil; This is related to the ancient Greek term “Anasyrma”, which is the gesture of lifting one's skirt and a deliberately provocative exposure of the naked genitals to ward off a supernatural enemy. These vulva-masks will be presented on a mural made out of a repetitive pattern of shapes representing the vulva, or the all-seeing eye.
The tapestries in the booth are contemporary interpretations of family crests and contain the symbolism of life-trees, in which the artist has made her personal family history collective. What do you take with you and pass on from your ancestors, and what, do you leave behind? Imagery such as vulvas on horseback depict literal and symbolic modes of migration through generations. The tapestries are a combination of patchwork, quilting and embroidery. The artist's work emanates from feminine power and demonstrates this in the iconography of art history and in personal intergenerational storytelling. The work is a feminist statement, highlighting the symbol of the female sex to ward of evil, the humour of this fact and the positiveness of this strenght against the current conservative patriarchical and intolerant tendencies. It is not to be confused with the glorification of motherhood, which has become popular in conservative circles. Rather, the artist demonstrates that society flourishes when gender roles are broken and if there is more attention for the loving feminine powers in this world. During the fair the artist will do a performance as part of ‘Corpi nel paRco’, an official Milano Art Week 2026 event. Saturday 18 april, 15:00 —18:00, at Teatro Continuo di Alberto Burri in Parco Sempione. Curated by Andrea Contin & Gabi Scardi.
ARTWORKS
CV Carmen Schabracq 1988, Amsterdam, NL, lives and works in Amsterdam Education 2014-2015 MA of Arts, Theatre costume design, Royal Academy of Art, Antwerpen B 2008-2012 BA Fine Arts, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam NL 2011 Erasmus exchange Fine Arts, Sint Lucas Academie, Gent B 2007-2008 Painting, Academia di Belle Arti, Roma IT Grants 2025 Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, Stipendium, NL 2025 Werktuig PPO grant, Permanent Professional Development, NL 2025 Mondriaan Fund, International Art Presentation, NL 2025 Nomination ‘Designer Award’, costume design for Mama Dada, Nederlands Theater Festival, NL 2024 Europe Moves grant, Goethe Institute x European Union 2024 Werktuig PPO subsidy, Permanent Professional Development 2021 Mondriaan Fund, Covid support Artist NL 2020 Amarte fund, project subsidy 2017/2018 New Maker Subsidy, FPK Dutch Performing Arts Fund, NL Residencies 2024 Artist in Residency, Lotto Zero Textile Centre, Prato Italy 2022 Artist in residency, BijlmAIR, CBK Zuidoost, Amsterdam NL 2021 Artist in residency, Kunsthuis SYB, Beetsterzwaag NL 2021 Artist in residency, ARV.International, Vishovgrad Bulgaria 2020 Artist in residency, Vincent van Gogh Huis, Zundert NL 2020 Artist in residency, Opium Atelier Radio 4, Hilversum NL 2019 Artist in residency, Casa Lü Parque Hundido, Mexico City MX Works in collections Amsterdam Museum NL Art Collection Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam NL Centrum Beeldende Kunst Zuid Oost NL Vincent van Gogh Huis NL Akzo Nobel Art foundation NL Ministerie Binnenlandse zaken NL Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam NL Exhibitions (selection) 2026 Grenzeloos kunst verkennen, new in-situ work part of art route, NL 2026 MiArt, Milano Art Fair, solo show, Red Lab Gallery & Galerie Fleur en Wouter, Milano, IT 2026 Coolcity3000, group show, SPACE collection, Liège, BE 2026 Art Rotterdam, duo show with Agata Ferrari Bravo, curated by Andrea Contin, Red Lab Gallery, NL 2026 Awaiting Legends / ‘Uit het niets’, group show, curated by Ellis Kat, Kunst Linie Almere, NL 2026 Greige Fantastic, group show, curated by Maia Kenney, De Nederlandsche Bank, Amsterdam, NL 2026 Grey! Art on Aging, group show, curated by Mirjam Westen & Sjors Bindels, Museum van Bommel van Dam, Venlo, NL 2025/2026 Deconstruction Reconstruction, 18thTextile Triennial Lodz, group show, curated by Bukola 2026 Oyebode & Marta Kowalewska, Central Museum of Textile Lödz, PL 2025 Kissambushed, group show, Gallery van Fanny Freytag, Amsterdam, NL 2025 Pittura Ora, trio show represented by Red Lab Gallery, Art Verona, Verona, IT 2025 The Mothers I wear, solo show, curated by Leonardo Regano, Red Lab Gallery, Milano, IT 2025 A Centre without a middle, group show, Marian Cramer Projects, Amsterdam, NL 2025 Nieuwe Lijnen, group show, Museum Villa Mondriaan, Winterswijk, NL 2025 Wall of She, group show, curated by Cathelijne Blok, Galerie Sofie van de Velde, Antwerpen, BE 2025 Boven Natuur, group show, De Vishal, Haarlem, NL Amsterdam Museum, NL 2024/2025 Vrouwen van Amsterdam - een Ode, group show, Amsterdam Museum 2024 When roots start riding horses, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam 2024 PAN art fair, group show, Galerie Fleur & Wouter 2024 It hûs is net ien, SYB triënnale, group show, Kunsthuis Syb, Beetsterzwaag 2024 Vrouwen van Zuid Oost, group show, OSCAM / Amsterdam Museum 2024 Limburg Biënnale, group show, Marres & Odapark, Maastricht 2024 I turn my blood into milk for you, solo, Metroscope Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam 2023/2024 Delicious Death, group show, Museum Tot Zover, Amsterdam 2023 Some One No One and One hundred thousand, Solo, Studio Seine, Rotterdam 2023 Continue This Thread, group show, Amsterdam Museum 2023 Solo booth, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Kunst RAI, Amsterdam 2023 The Grand Palace of Everyone, group show, Nest Ruimte, Den Haag 2022/23 Van Gogh als inspiratie - Aanwinsten, group show Vincent Van Gogh Huis 2022/23 BijlmAIR, group show, CBK Zuid-Oost, Amsterdam 2022 Day of the Donkey, duo with Dodi Espinosa, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam 2022 CABEZAS, solo, Art Bar Kippy, Amsterdam 2022 Outsider Land, duo with Jacquelien Gosschalk, Outsider Land, Amsterdam 2022 ICONS, group show, Factor-IJ, Amsterdam 2022 Depend On Me, group show, Punt WG, Amsterdam 2021/‘22 Vanwege Vincent, group show, Stedelijk Museum Breda 2021 On Empirical Grounds, group show, De Bouwput, Amsterdam 2021 Unity Duality Trinity, group show curated by AXS Art, De School, Amsterdam 2021 Dionysian Days, solo, Gallery Heerz Tooya, Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria 2021 This Art Fair, The Salon of the Lazy Horse, solo stand, Amsterdam 2020 Extravaganza, group show: Jan Hoek, Eleonora Stol & me, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam NL 2020 Vincent van Gogh Huis AiR, solo show, Van Gogh Galerie, Zundert NL 2020 20 jaar Zeeland Nazomer Festival, video & installation, group show, Middelburg NL 2020 Sighing Masks, etalage installation & show, CBK Amsterdam NL 2019 La Realidad del Perro, group show, Casa Lü, Mexico City MX 2019 Ambassade van de Noordzee, lecture & group show, Stroom Den Haag & strand Scheveningen NL 2019 Dicke Mädchen, group show with Rosa Schützendorf & Jack Davey, Antwerp Art Weekend B 2018 Kustpijn Paardenkracht, installation, Kloostergang Abdij plein, Middelburg NL 2017 Maskerade, Masks in art and the art of the mask, Stichting Polderlicht, Amsterdam NL 2017 Imagine Film Festival, installation, Eye Film museum, Amsterdam NL 2016 De Bonte Duif en het Zwarte Padje, group show, Bellamy Kabinet, Amsterdam NL 2016 XII, group show, 12 hour exhibition XII, W139, Amsterdam NL 2016 Conceal to Reveal, solo show, Weekender, Punt WG, Amsterdam NL 2016 Occultare per Mostrare, solo show, Galleria Grefti, Umbertide IT Performance (selection) 2025 Santa Lucia, Corpi sul Palco, performance night curated by Andrea Contin, Milano 2024 I turn my blood into milk for you, performance at PAN art fair 2022 Apotropaic Mask performance, SUPRISE, Tomoko Mukaiyama x Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam 2022 Day of the Donkey, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam 2022 Agave, Club M, Dordrechts Museum x Kunstmin, Dordrecht 2022 Becoming Vincent, Starry Night, Stedelijk Museum Breda 2021 Becoming Vincent, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam 2020 Xolotl guide to the underworld, performance in collab. with Project Wildeman, Amsterdam NL 2020 Listening to the political voice of the sea, Ambassade v/d Noordzee, Frascati, Amsterdam NL 2019 Minotaurus, interactive installation in colab. with BREI, Festival Boulevard, Den Bosch NL 2018 Kustpijn Paardenkracht, performance, Zeeland Nazomer Festival, Zoutelande NL 2018 De Poesie Bar, Eddie and the Eagles, Bimhuis, Amsterdam NL 2017 Sint Nicolaas (hij komt, hij komt), performance show, Sint Nicolaas kerk, Brouwershaven NL 2017 So you think you can DaDa?, group performance show, Leidse Schouwburg, Leiden NL 2017 Heroines Circus, performance night curated by me and Renske van Enckevort, Sociëteit Sexyland, Amsterdam NL 2016 Is your body the pedestal of your head?, 12-hour performance, XII, W139, Amsterdam NL Publications 2026 Live, Learn, Create… Repeat, publication on 25 years of artists in residency in the Bijlmer, Jap Sam Books 2025 Erwin Olaf Magazine, group portrait with the No Limits! Art Castle community, by Feriet Tunc, one issue magazine, November 2025 2025 Een uur Cultuur, #373, interview by Teddy Tops, NPO radio 1, 30.08.2025 2025 Volkstrant (newspaper) Kunstwerk v/d week 05.03.2025 article on my work by Janna Reinsma 2024 REAL Magazine #9 article on my work by Selma Lagewaardt & Ab Bol 2024 Oefeningen voor een waterige politiek, Ambassade van de Noordzee, 2018-2023 2023 NRC (newspaper) Interview 01.10.2023 by Ron Rijghaard 2022 Metropolis M (online) 01.09.2022 by Vanessa Bakhuizen-van ‘t Hoogt & Liza Voetman 2022 Interview in the newspaper, Het Parool, by Jan Pieter Ekker 2021 Publication Vanwege Vincent, catalogue of the exhibition in Stedelijk Museum Breda 2021 Een ander gezicht opzetten, interview on my work in Textiel Plus, 256 2021 Becoming Vincent, I’ll never walk alone, publication of my AiR at the Van Gogh Huis 2020 We are the collection, AKZO NOBEL Art Foundation 25 years of collection magazine 2020 Jaarpublicatie 2019, Luisteren naar de Noordzee, Ambassade van de Noordzee 2020 Beroepsvereniging Beeldende Kunstenaars Magazine, #1 2018 Is your body the pedestal of your head?, Book about my masks, in collaboration with Paul Koeleman, with introduction by Alex Mallems and an interview by Renee Padt. 2018 Faceless Re-inventing Privacy Trough Subversive Media Strategies Ed. By Doringer, Bogomir / Felderer, Brigitte. 2018 From a creative nest: Carmen Schabracq, online article, ID magazine 22/02 2017 Samen eten we Sint Nicolaas op, newspaper article, 1/12 Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant
Commissions (selection) 2026 Creation of painted special edition jewelry box for Wouters & Hendrix BE/NL 2025 Costume & mask design for ‘No Man’s Land’, stichting No Mad Is Me, theater Walhalla, Rotterdam 2025 Costume design for ‘Mama Dada’, Theater aan de Rijn, Arnhem 2024 Masks & costume design for the opera ‘The Gospel according to the 2024 Costume design for the opera production ‘The Gospel according to the other Mary’, Volksoper Vienna 2024 Costume design, ‘I Love Roma’, by Giovanni Brand, Walhalla & Theaterproductie huis Zeeland 2023 Masks for theatre production ‘De Eindtijd Revue’ by performance collective URLAND 2022 Mask & costume design for the opera production ‘I Have Missed You Forever’, Dutch National Opera 2020 Costume design & scenography, ‘Beige’, by Sheralynn Adriaanse, Stichting Likeminds 2020 Costume design & scenography, ‘Djinns’, by Ko van den Bosch, Stichting Likeminds 2019 Scenography, The tragedy of Slaughtervaart, Dood Paard 2019 De Minotaurus, interactive sculpture in collaboration with BREI, Stip, festival Boulevard 2018 De Zeemond, interactive sculpture, commissioned by Ambassade van de Noordzee 2017 Costumes and scenography for ‘Het raadsel van alles wat leeft’, Dood Paard 2017 Costumes and scenography for ‘Terug naar huis’, Naomi van der Linde, Oerol Terschelling 2017 Costume design & scenography, ‘Hiroshima mon amour’, Zuidpool, Zeeland Nazomer Festival, Tholen
Photography by Jan Stads, Jonathan de Waart, Cleo Goossens