Interview with Suzanne Harkhoe

Suzanne Harkhoe is a Dutch Surinamese conceptual artist and technologist active in installation, painting in mixed media, technology based art, sculpture, photography and film. She is based in Rotterdam.

How would you describe yourself and your artwork?

My art works deal with the exploration and practice of freedom, amongst other subject matter. My dystopian world view towards contemporary society, is born out of my belief in equality and freedom. I am an artist who identifies with marxist critique of political society. Therefore my anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist sentiment, as well as, and enforced by my identity is reflected in my work. I am a child of immigrants and working class people, a product of the colonial imperial history, a woman, a person of colour and a technologist. As a part of the Surinam diaspora living in western Europe, the duplicity of living in the country that had colonized my native land is an element in my work. My personal social reality is shaped by social structures that limit my freedom and the racism, patriarchy and ecocide they enable and enforce. Some of my work is therefore extremely critical of society. As such I also create protest art and diaspora art.

I also address the need for ontological system changes, through coding as a medium in my work.

How do you go about beginning a new piece? Do you have an idea already in mind, or do you start working with materials or sketches to find the departure point?

I usually start with materials that lead me to a flow.

When do you think your most prolific time of day or week is?

Fridays.

What is a barrier you as an artist overcame? Is there anything that enabled you to develop your work as an artist in your life?

I dealt with poverty, racism, sexism, chronic illness, and everything that I have been through has shaped and informed my work. I relate to oppression and my solidarity will always be with the oppressed people of the world. It is my life’s work to combat against the horrors of capitalism and imperialism, both of which are responsible for most of the suffering in todays society. As a native of a colonized country, I use the creation of my diasporic work as a decolonizing practice for my mind and sanity.

Did you have an idea of what you wanted to create right from the beginning?

Sometimes I have a vague idea or concept and I let the flow of the moment decide the manifestation.

What is the meaning or creative inspiration for your work? We’re curious what the narrative or story is to what you are producing?

The human experience.

Besides your artworks, are there any other things in life that your voice as an artist may consider vital or valuable? What makes you joyful and creative, in other words?

The magic of life itself, family and friends, love and togetherness.

Are there any exhibitions or places where people can see these beautiful creations in person soon? Anything on the horizon?
I've just had exhibitions in the Bellini Museum in Florence, Italy, in the Ikigai Arts Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and in the M.A.D.S. Art Gallery in Milan, Italy.

Next up is an exhibition in the Corrado Bortone Gallery in Paris, France from the 28th of March - the 4th of April 2022. At the moment I am also in conversation about exhibitions in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Copenhagen, Denmark and in New York City, The United States for 2022.

Website: https://suzanneharkhoe.com/