The art world derives its energy above all from new creatives who generate clever, exciting ideas that add new directions to established concepts in fascinating ways. It is precisely this that gives rise to an incredible sense of anticipation, enrichment and curiosity. At SLEEK we were intrigued, and so we invited a leading creative to take part in an interview. Tjioe Meyer Hecken is not just the director of the Wehrmuehle, the home of Art Biesenthal. She is also working closely with her mother to forge exciting connections between tradition, place and vision.
Image Courtesy of Yudith Levin, Cathrin Hoffmann, and Anastasia Bay.
SLEEK: What led you to art?
Tjioe Meyer: My journey into the art world started when I was a child growing up in a household of artists and photographers. I call myself a ‘gallery kid’ because art has always been a part of my life. However, my interests broadened into the sciences, particularly behavioural ecology and gender studies, where I discovered the diversity of nature and behavioural patterns. This interdisciplinary perspective influenced my curatorial process, highlighting the potential within a transdisciplinary approach that links the realms of art and science.
S: What is your motivation for taking part in the art business through your ideas and concepts?
TM: Inspired by my mother, I curate exhibitions that incentivise my network and provide a platform for both established and emerging artists. The Wehrmuehle is a place for artists and their ideas, where their work is appreciated and meaningful dialogue is made possible. By collaborating with international partners, galleries and individual artists, we ensure that our exhibitions are artistically valuable and relevant, and that they inspire and engage our visitors. I am fortunate to be guided and inspired by female mentors and cultural entrepreneurs in the art world who continue to shape my vision. In the next few years, I hope I can work with more women artists and academics who are driving innovation in their respective fields. Their ground-breaking work corresponds exactly to my vision for the Wehrmuehle: to redefine artistic boundaries and open up new perspectives.
S: What are your plans?
TM: During the pandemic, I took the opportunity of broadening my knowledge by taking courses in cultural strategy. I taught myself more about art history and theory. I’ve recognised that my personal growth is essential to the development of the Wehrmuehle and I’m committed to realising our full potential. I believe that people crave authentic and honest experiences and that time is a precious commodity to be cherished. Understanding this drives me to create exhibitions and encounters that move our audience, offering them real connections and moments of reflection.
S: Why do you think your ideas and projects are needed?
TM: My motivation to bring my ideas to the art world stems from a desire to promote a transdisciplinary approach to create meaningful dialogues that reflect the complexities of our society. By embracing different perspectives and engaging with the community, the Wehrmuehle becomes a place where artistic innovation and cultural understanding can grow.
Image Courtesy of Yudith Levin, Cathrin Hoffmann, and Anastasia Bay.
S: Let’s talk about Art Biesenthal. What’s your connection with this platform?
TM: As director of the Wehrmuehle, it’s important for me to lead an institution that pursues a new approach in the contemporary artistic landscape. Our artist focused and community centred approach sets us apart from other establishments and offers visitors a wonderfully immersive experience. Located in a nature reserve near the city, the museum offers an exciting mixture of artistic expression, culinary highlights and thought-provoking exhibitions that arouse visitors’ curiosity and foster a sense of affinity.
At the Wehr Muehle, we’re offering a multi-dimensional experience while the tranquil, natural setting creates a comfortable and inspiring environment. Our programmes go beyond traditional exhibitions to include performance art, sound installations, workshops and cross-media events. We’re proud to be a women-led institution that actively advocates for inclusion and empowers underrepresented voices to be heard.
S: What are you focusing on in the future?
TM: Looking to the future, I see the Wehrmuehle as a catalyst for experimentation, learning and creativity. I think there are always ways to improve – that’s why it’s important to me to maintain quality and authenticity. We want to expand the museum spatially, which means we’d like to install a new structure on the site. At the same time, I’d like to expand the programme and offer more exhibitions so we can open on Saturdays and Sundays all year round. By preserving the environment, a diversity and wealth of perspectives, and respecting contextual complementarity, we’ll continue to push boundaries, challenge norms and inspire innovation.
S: Which of today’s artists or exhibitions would you recommend?
TM: I’d love to invite you to this year’s programme entitled ‘Oneself in the Contemporary’. From 3 June to 30 July, the exhibition The Poet’s Folly and the Sovereign’s Hand curated by Alexia Timmermans, will be showing works by around 30 international artists from various disciplines who deal with how cultural, social and political contexts shape our self-image and the image of others. Inviting the viewer to challenge conventional notions of reason, madness, beauty, morality and power, the exhibition offers a view of the world that is simultaneously disturbing and darkly comic, intimate and sensual, psychologically charged and self-reflective.
And from 12 August to 24 September, in the exhibition Let Life be Beautiful like Summer Flowers curated by Dan Chen, 20 artists are invited to explore their self-symbiotic and self-confrontational relationships through different media such as objects, images, texts and sound effects. The exhibition enables viewers to look into a mirror of the artists’ personal worlds and explore their own identity.
As featured in SLEEK 77 – TRUST. Available in print and digital here.