Exchange, Installatie 31

On the occasion of the Africus Johannes Biennale, the Dutch artist Mirjam de Zeeuw received food and shelter in people's homes in Johannesburg. In return she documented their recipes - which had sometimes been passed on from generation to generation. Some of these kind hosts were illiterate and poor and therefore unable to document the recipes.

There is only one dish that Mirjam can make herself: wentelteefjes. A typical Dutch recipe. It’s made with old bread, milk, cinnamon, eggs, caster and brown sugar.

Mirjam also made a series of photos of wedding dresses. She wanted to get married so badly in the 90s that she almost became obsessed with it. She photographed white wedding dresses in all shapes and sizes, against a black background. The dresses are clearly worn while no one is visible. Mirjam captured the dresses while wearing them. Then Mirjam carefully removed herself from the photos by retouching them. That makes the photo series a bit spooky. Like souls from lace and tulle floating in space.