| Who | Léon Hendrickx, Hans Withoos, Niels Scheurwater, Anke Portier |
| Where | Oude Lutherse Kerk, Singel 411, 1012 WN Amsterdam |
| When | July 29 – August 09, 2026 |
For the third consecutive year, Amsterdam’s monumental Lutheran Church provides the layered setting for the multimedia exhibition EMBRACE. The exhibition celebrates inclusivity, human diversity, and the breaking of social stigmas. This year, the Art That Matters Foundation presents an intriguing dialogue between the theatrical and the raw, between historical aesthetics and contemporary reality, and between passive observation and active interaction.
The works on display challenge visitors to explore identity, vulnerability, and the power of being different with an open mind.
Hans Withoos
Hans Withoos is internationally renowned for his theatrical, baroque, and richly layered photographic art. In his stunning compositions, he merges historical references, fashion, and contemporary social themes into a unique and surreal visual world. His work is imbued with drama and melancholy, deliberately blurring the boundaries between painting and photography. Beneath the aesthetic beauty of his images lies a deeper layer that invites reflection on identity and humanity. website
Kings & Queens (Leon Hendrickx & Micha Schneijderberg)
The long-running photography project Kings & Queens, created by photographer Leon Hendrickx, explores the fascinating transformation and layered identities of drag queens. The series portrays its subjects in a unique way: both in their everyday appearance and in their monumental, regal drag persona, captured within a single image.
More than a documentary project, Kings & Queens is an intimate tribute to self-expression, transformation, and the courage to reveal one’s true identity to the world. instagram
Niels Scheurwater
Niels Scheurwater embraces a raw, honest, and unpolished aesthetic in his photographic work. His lens focuses on people in their most authentic and vulnerable state, often at the fringes of society or within subcultures that exist beyond conventional norms.
Without embellishment or judgment, Scheurwater captures the essence and individuality of his subjects. His direct and intimate visual language creates a powerful contrast with the more classical and theatrical works in the exhibition. website
Anke Portier
Anke Portier adds an interactive dimension to this edition of EMBRACE. Her artworks invite visitors to step beyond the role of passive observer and become active participants in the artistic experience.
Through tactile elements and responsive installations, Portier explores how human connections are formed. Her contribution makes the exhibition’s themes of acceptance and encounter not only visible, but tangible and deeply felt by visitors. website
