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Masculinity – what is it, exactly? From his position as a white, heterosexual male, Bas Schippers (1992) explores the clichés commonly ascribed to men. He questions the origins of the notion that ‘real men’ are courageous, strong and confident, and why traits such as empathy, vulnerability and weakness are excluded from this image. In his paintings, drawings and prints, he treats masculinity with both reverence and irony. The result is a tragicomic play of extremes that makes viewers aware that presumed norms are not set in stone. In this way, his work becomes a plea to abandon traditional values.
Schippers explains: ‘I try to recognize contradictions within myself and within society, and to play with them. Male behaviour is something you are taught, yet it also forms an important part of your identity. You only start to reflect on this when you yourself do not fully conform to the norm.’ The paintings presented at Prospects lend an almost humorous form to this tension between emotion and outward appearance. In Swan Song (2025), a balding boxer sits exhausted on the ground, while the swans surrounding him symbolize that his role has been played out. Other works depict figures dressed in horse costumes – the horse functioning as an ambiguous symbol that evokes associations with both strength and the ‘horse girl’ archetype. Masculinity, Schippers seems to suggest, is a role that one is free to shape as one sees fit.
Written by: Esther Darley