Eva Donckers

Text by Barbara De Vadder 

For the workshop Eva Donkers went to a photo booth in Antwerp Central Station with the text “Art is really serious stuff” divided over four pages, added wigs to the images and made a collage out of it. This way she could accomplish an aesthetically neutral image in which humour accidently immerges. The work alludes on the early ages of portrait photography and the taboo of humour in these pictures. This idea contrasts with the contemporary portrait cabins and their “funny pictures”. The aim of Eva’s work was to let people think about the taboo of humour in art. The text of her work “Art is really serious stuff” in combination with the images elucidates a strategy of irony. She even indicates that a subtle ironic component is a reoccurring factor thorough her work. It is not her intention to make the viewer laugh out loud, but to experience the absurdity of the subject. Her work focusses a lot on issues of social burdens, where she wants to point out the absurdity of human behavior, without making fun of people. Hereby it is important to find the right balance between humour and seriousness. The incorporation of humour leaves the possibility to create a distance. By creating this distance, the absurdity emerges and serious and less serious subjects can find themselves on equal levels. This gives the viewer a new angle to look at things. According to Eva the power of humour in art hasn’t got the capability to solve social issues. But what it can accomplish is make people reflect on human behaviour and reach awareness that something has to change.

Text by Angelina Kovalyova

The work by Eva is less intentional, and nevertheless serves as an excellent entrance point to the gallery. It instantly notifies a visitor of a double standard of the art world by giving multiple readings to her work. One way, it poses a question “Is Really – Art- Stuff – Serious.” From the opposite side, it offers a confirmation “Art – Is Really – Serious – Stuff.” In the similar way, we ask ourselves whether art should ever be perceived with a serious intention and whether it has a power to change anything.

When asked about her inspiration, Eva says she created this collage at the photobooth where she had an option of adding various hairstyles to her picture. She wanted the work to be uncomplicated and spontaneous, just as natural humor should be. After all, best laugh always comes at something simple and incongruous, something that offers a contradiction.

The collage works as a combination of pictures and text, which rings true with the practice of DADA artists. In their work they tried to radically question the very principle of art in bourgeois society and to laugh at over-praised status of an artist. With their “anti-art” works, they both laughed and posed serious questions to what art means. So is art really serious?

Interview by Anne Bambynek and Kristof Neyens 

Where did you get the inspiration for this project?
I took inspiration from the fact that humour was a big taboo in art. Especially photography used to be very serious. For example, in the use of portrait photography a few centuries ago, humour was unthinkable at that time! So I went to a portrait cabin and accidentally chose the “Funny Pictures” button to make my work. Which became an extra layer/touch to the work.

How do you start to make an object of art? Does the medium influence you?
It always starts from a personal feeling. For example, certain types of human behaviour fascinate me. I feel the need to share some of my fascinations. For example I did a project about cults, and used humour in it as a way of showing critique. Most of the time I like to work slow. Because if I work with people, I don’t want to rush, but I want to get to know them and let coincidence be a part of the process.

What does humour mean to you? – How is humour present in your artwork or why isn’t it?
I use humour to give my work an extra layer. It gives me the possibility to show serious subjects without being too heavy about it. The viewer has to take some time to look at the work. It can make you laugh in a subtle way. But when you think more about the subject it can work as a reflection, e.g. certain human behaviour.

Can humour and art be combined?
Humour and art used to be a taboo, but I think times are changing. If artists use humour and are conscious about what they do, it might be very successful. It has the possibility to see subjects from a distance.

Does recent technology influence you? E.g. computer games/social media/selfies/…
Probably, yes. Everything around me has an influence on who I am, so technology is a part of it. What I like the most about it, is that I  can reach so many things thanks to the internet. I used to search for certain people on forums etc. For my latest project I used footage from YouTube. For “Green, Yellow & Black” I used a modern Photomat.

 Why did you choose this ideal place?
 I guess you mean the place where I presented my work? I wanted the visitor to see this sentence “Art is really serious stuff” before seeing the other works. So they are reminded about art being serious, before seeing all these works that they will see as non-serious.

What did you think about the project/assignment?
The project was linked to my way of working. I like to use humour in my work, so it was useful to read more theory about it. Although I like to work at a slower pace, this workshop was more of a “quick-work”. But I did like seeing Lieven Segers way of working. The way he curated the exhibition etc. I’m very curious to see the blog from Leuven, because during the presentation I felt a distinction about “humour in art” between the artists (Brussels students) and the viewers (Leuven students).