Dead Darlings #8 – Occupational Hazard, 2015. From left to right: white gloves: Kristina Mirova, Kali Rose, Daiana Voinescu; auctioneer: Tania Theodorou and team member: Hanna Mattes. Photo: Kyle Tryhorn.

The idea for Occupational Hazard came out of discussions we’ve often had over the years about how to balance an artistic practice with the need to secure means of support, pay the rent, and even subsidize one’s own art practice by holding a side-job.

Our amazing white gloves Kristina Mirova holding up an artwork during Dead Darlings #8 – Occupational Hazard, 2015. Photo: Kyle Tryhorn.

Most artists resent those obligations although some find them grounding. Others simply try to make the best of a situation that can’t be changed. All of these people have great stories about this balancing act and work that resulted directly from this struggle.

Dead Darlings #8 – Occupational Hazard, 2015. Photo: Kyle Tryhorn.

At its core, this edition explored the borders of the artistic identity, a very fitting idea connected with dead darlings which often lie themselves outside of ever-changing boundaries.

Photographs from the event

Our location was the amazing Looiersgracht 60, and though we enjoyed the full support of the team running the space and all they could provide us with, we had zero budget to begin with, so we had to ask 50/50 from the sales simply to cover our overhead and pay for the amazing catalogue we managed to put together for the event. We relied heavily on the hard work of numerous volunteers and decided to try for a subsidy for our next edition.

Our amazing white gloves Kali Rose holding an artwork during Dead Darlings #8 – Occupational Hazard, 2015.
Photo: Kyle Tryhorn.

Participating Artists: