The exhibition I challenge you to love me presents an overview of the work of photographer and artist Diana Blok (Uruguay, 1952). Blok was born in Montevideo and lived in Colombia and Guatemala. She studied sociology in Mexico City. In 1974, she emigrated to Amsterdam and developed into a highly successful photographer and artist. With her work, Diana explores topics such as identity, gender, sexual diversity and culture. The exhibition can be seen from 31 May to 29 September 2024.
About Diana Blok
Born in Montevideo (Uruguay, 1952) to a Dutch father and an Argentine mother, Blok grew up in several Latin American countries. In the 1970s, she settles in Amsterdam. There the journey of discovery into her identity begins. A self-taught portrait photographer, she first turns her gaze to herself, visualizing myths and dreams and capturing forms of kinship between people. Blok recognizes her own story in those of others. In countries where there is only one sexual norm and every other behavior is suppressed, she creates penetrating portraits. She focuses mainly on portraying people for whom gender, (cultural) identity and sexual preferences are not fixed. In a sense, all of her projects are embedded in forms of collaboration. Collaborations with other artists, with writers, with actors and above all: with the portrayed.
Audio fragments
In the exhibition, audio fragments accompany several works. In these 8 fragments, Diana Blok talks from her studio into what stories lie behind the photos. Each audio fragment looks back at a photo from a particular period or project.
1. Self-portrait with Flor
2. Mother and sons
3. Leda and swan
4. Male wet nurse in Romeo & Juliet – Sjoerd Didden
5. Ay dios Curaçao | Corazón | Curazion
6. Ketje
7. Living leaves
8. Priestesses