Nitish Bhardwaj, Rida Habib Allah, Federico Protto

ON_OFF_SPACE: MoMu x DE SINGEL Takeover

With MoMu x DE SINGEL Takeover, the emerging talent of ON_OFF_SPACE, DE SINGEL's artist residency, sets up its stage at MoMu. During this nocturne, the artists take over the entire museum. What unites them is that they all balance on the intersection of fashion and performing arts.

In this performance by creator Nitish Bhardwaj, Hippolyta, the mythological queen of the Amazons, becomes a symbol of oppression, colonialism and post-colonialism. Although in classical mythology she has long been seen as a supporting character for male protagonists, she is primarily a strong and independent female lead character. Bhardwaj carefully rewrites the myths about Hippolyta to put the monarch on her rightful pedestal. And that results in a denouement that is completely different from the traditional story.

Fashion designer Rida Habib Allah brings his very first lecture performance. A unique insight into the mind of this maker and a way to put a face on the clothes. He is one of the rising stars in the fashion firmament and creates in the contrasts: between life and death; between image and fashion; between Arab and Western culture. Recently, filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Billal Fallah wore his designs on the red carpet for the premiere of their superhero series Ms. Marvel.

Federico Protto is a Brussels-based performance artist and fashion designer who explores the intersection between various facets of his artistry in his series Dress Rehearsals. He describes these performances as a "twilight zone between different materials." Protto creates a living archive through text and song, costumes and instruments, peppered with references to video games and built on interaction with the audience. His Dress Rehearsals are a protest against colonialism, fueled by his South American heritage. It's an ever-evolving performance that is never the same twice.

Learn more: bit.ly/MoMuTakeover

Photo: Anna Lugmeier

Artists: Nitish Bhardwaj, Rida Habib Allah, Federico Protto

Also happening at ON_OFF_SPACE: MoMu x DE SINGEL Takeover