TINKEBELL

Tinkebell, the artist name of Katinka Simonse, is a Dutch artist known for her provocative and confrontational work. She addresses themes such as animal rights, consumption, ethics, and the hypocrisy within our society. Her work often consists of direct and sometimes shocking interventions, in which she uses animals or everyday objects in ways that create discomfort for the viewer.

In the work My Dearest Cat Pinkeltje, Tinkebell had her own deceased cat taxidermied and transformed it into a handbag. This work caused a great deal of controversy, as many people perceived it as shocking and disrespectful. At the same time, Tinkebell intended to expose the hypocrisy in how we treat animals. Many people reacted with outrage, while those same people often use products made from animals, such as leather bags, without questioning it. In doing so, she raises the question: why do we consider it acceptable to use one animal, but not another?

By creating this sense of discomfort, she reveals how inconsistent our norms and values can be. What interests me in her work is that it shows that art does not have to be purely aesthetic, but can also function as a critical and investigative tool. She encourages the viewer to reflect on behaviors and beliefs that are usually taken for granted.

Like Tinkebell, I myself try—despite in a different way—to make visible what often goes unnoticed. Where she works in a direct and confrontational manner, I tend to take a more subtle approach, in which estrangement and a sense of wonder play an important role. In both cases, the aim is to invite the viewer to reflect on their own assumptions and way of seeing.