Living On features the photographic work of Lidwien van de Ven in her first solo exhibition in North America. Organized in conjunction with the Mosaic 50th-Anniversary Symposium, the exhibition is curated by Dr. Shepherd Steiner. Van de Ven’s installation showcases works from Cairo, Gaza, the West Bank, and Beirut, alongside a new piece, Berlin, 12/01/2015 (das Volk), displayed outside the gallery.

Van de Ven’s politically and aesthetically charged work explores themes of race, truth, human rights, and the complexities of contemporary photography. Her images challenge traditional photojournalism by occupying a space between art and activism, demanding viewers to inhabit opposing perspectives and question democratic processes.

Lidwien van de Ven is a Dutch artist based in Berlin and Rotterdam, whose work explores intersections between photojournalism and art. Her politically engaged practice examines populism, religion, and visibility, addressing censorship, aesthetics, and ideological suppression. Van de Ven has exhibited internationally, including the Sydney Biennale, Documenta 12, and Museo Reina Sofia. She was awarded the Dolf Henkes Prize in 2014.

Special Events

  • Gallery Talk: A conversation with Lidwien van de Ven and Dr. Axelle Karera  |  March 10, 1:30–2:45 PM
  • Lunch-Time Lecture Series:
    • Ben Baader: On Germanness and Peoplehood, 1945 to Today – March 20, 11:30 AM
    • Susan Close: Exhibition Conversation with Graduate Students – March 31, 12:00 PM
    • Simone Mahrenholz: The Danger of Beauty – April 3, 11:30 AM
    • Hee-Jung Serenity Joo: Race, Precarity, Futurity – April 7, 11:30 AM
    • David Churchill: Aperture of Resistance – Aperture of Colonialism – April 10, 11:30 AM
    • David Foster: Lidwien van de Ven: Archive/Argument – April 12, 11:30 AM
    • Radhika Desai: The Pleasures and Dangers of Ambiguity – April 17, 11:30 AM

This exhibition is supported by the University of Manitoba School of Art, the Centre for Human Rights Research, and the Mondrian Fund.