COME ALIVE opens its doors from June 3 – July 31, 2022, in Het Nieuwe Muntgebouw, NL.
COME ALIVE plays with the power of eroticism to bring new values to life. The immersive exhibition inspires pleasure activism: from bondage to ecstatic dance and tickle workshops. In the former melting room of Het Nieuwe Muntgebouw in Utrecht, where rock-hard coins were once minted, everything becomes fluid. Bodies vibrate with their surroundings, oxytocin diffusers are given free rein, and we train each other’s vagus nerve. Together we find a way out of the hyper-commercialization of romantic love and sexuality, creating alternatives to the increasing loneliness people are experiencing.
How? By sharing ‘love without reason’.
During the Corona pandemic the consequence of decades of scarcity thinking, overconsumption and individualization became painfully clear: disappearing jobs, housing shortages, urgent environmental crises, rising inflation. And all this while the dark clouds of climate change and inhumane, discriminatory artificial intelligence loom over our heads. More and more people are faced with insecurity and precarity. COME ALIVE poses an alternative: eroticism and physicality as an infinite source of pleasure, abundant and shared all around us. In short, fighting despair with joy.
History shows how sexuality as a “wild energy” proved capable of opening up societies. This is the reason why eroticism – and those associated with it – are still labeled as dangerous by many doctrines. To this day, there is resistance in many societies to eroticism and sexuality as an untamable and uncontrollable force. Especially true for women, the assumed owners of reproduction. Allowing this oppressed life force to surface leads us to create new values. COME ALIVE invites each and every person to learn and unlearn: to free their bodies, crack open their preconceived ideas, and unleash the power of eroticism.
COME ALIVE is an initiative by Ine Gevers and Morgan Catalina. Produced by Niet Normaal INT Foundation, the creators of HACKING HABITAT, ROBOT LOVE and FAKE ME HARD.
FAQ
Language of the exhibition and website?
The exhibition is both in Dutch and English.
What is the address?
Het Nieuwe Muntgebouw, Muntkade 20, 3531 AK Utrecht, Netherlands.
The entrance is next to restaurant De Zware Jongens; just follow the signs!
What are the opening times?
June 3 – July 31, 2022.
Every Wednesday – Sunday.
From 12:00 – 20:00, unless otherwise mentioned.
On Saturday July 30 the exhibition is open until 23:00 because of our Closing Festival!
Accessibility?
We encourage coming with public transport. COME ALIVE is a 5 – 10 minute (wheelchair-friendly) walk from Utrecht Central Station. The exhibition is accessible by wheelchair, except for two smaller exhibition spaces. Need extra assistance or have any questions related to accessibility? Email info@come-alive.nl or call +31 6 16 49 56 43.
What about tickets and workshop tickets?
You can buy them online in our ticketshop or at the door! Pin only.
Tickets are €14 and €6 for Students. Group Tickets (minimum of 5) can be bought for €12.
Until June 19 you can buy a special Lunch Ticket for €15, with which you can enter the exhibition AND get a Liquid Lunch (glass of cava/beer/lemonade/coffee/tea + something to eat) at restaurant De Zware Jongens, located next to the exhibition (at Muntkade 20). Simply show your ticket at De Zware Jongens!
Children under 10 can enter for free (under supervision).
If needed you can buy a cheaper ‘solidarity ticket’, available for those with less disposable income. Support COME ALIVE and our future projects by buying a ticket + added donation! All donations are used to finance artist fees. Tickets can be bought online in our ticketshop or at the door! Pin only.
You can visit most of our event programme for free if you bring a valid exhibition ticket, either for the day itself or one bought prior. We encourage return visits! Be sure to register for workshops by ‘buying’ a free ticket, because many have limited space.
Directions from Utrecht Central Station?
From Utrecht Centraal Station it’s a 7 minute walk. Exit the Jaarbeurs side, cross the street and follow the water/canal of the Leidseweg. You’ll see the entrance to COME ALIVE when arriving at Het Nieuwe Muntgebouw.
Parking?
Free parking is scarce in Utrecht, use this website to find a spot. Paid parking is available in the Parking at Jaarbeurs, 5 – 10 minutes (wheelchair friendly) walk.
What about Covid 19?
Hopefully there will not be any covid restrictions this summer. We will announce any measurements in due time.
What is the Clitshop?
During COME ALIVE, The Pleasure Society and Underbelly invite you to the CLITSHOP: the gift shop you’d usually expect at an exhibition, but slightly different. Expect to step into a world full of eroticism, sexiness, and art.
If you’d rather contact an actual human being email info@come-alive.nl or call + 316 16 49 56 43. Also for volunteering or if you are interested in a guided tour!
COME ALIVE lands this summer in Het Nieuwe Muntgebouw, NL.
COME ALIVE plays with the power of eroticism to bring new values to life. The immersive exhibition inspires pleasure activism: from bondage to ecstatic dance and tickle workshops. In the former melting room of Het Nieuwe Muntgebouw in Utrecht, where rock-hard coins were once minted, everything becomes fluid. Bodies vibrate with their surroundings, oxytocin diffusers are given free rein, and we train each other’s vagus nerve. Together we find a way out of the hyper-commercialization of romantic love and sexuality, creating alternatives to the increasing loneliness people are experiencing.
How? By sharing ‘love without reason’.
During the Corona pandemic the consequence of decades of scarcity thinking, overconsumption and individualization became painfully clear: disappearing jobs, housing shortages, urgent environmental crises, rising inflation. And all this while the dark clouds of climate change and inhumane, discriminatory artificial intelligence loom over our heads. More and more people are faced with insecurity and precarity. COME ALIVE poses an alternative: eroticism and physicality as an infinite source of pleasure, abundant and shared all around us. In short, fighting despair with joy.
History shows how sexuality as a “wild energy” proved capable of opening up societies. This is the reason why eroticism – and those associated with it – are still labeled as dangerous by many doctrines. To this day, there is resistance in many societies to eroticism and sexuality as an untamable and uncontrollable force. Especially true for women, the assumed owners of reproduction. Allowing this oppressed life force to surface leads us to create new values. COME ALIVE invites each and every person to learn and unlearn: to free their bodies, crack open their preconceived ideas, and unleash the power of eroticism.
COME ALIVE is an intiative by Niet Normaal INT, the creators of HACKING HABITAT, ROBOT LOVE and FAKE ME HARD.
POSITIONALITY STATEMENT
The curatorial team is composed of Ine Gevers and Morgan Catalina, two white, able-bodied cis-gender women with Western European nationality and relatively high privilege. They have achieved higher education in the form of Masters and Bachelors degrees respectively, and are of upper middle class socioeconomic status with access to a strong social safety net in the Netherlands. They each identify as queer, but are straight passing. Their intimate experiences with neurodiversity, chronic illness and disability have given them an understanding of the limitations of dominant society’s viewpoints, and endowed them with an appreciation for the differences that make us all unique. Each aims to cultivate awareness of her blind spots and broaden her perspective, welcoming opportunities to learn from others with differing life experiences. They strive to bring an anti-racist and diversity-affirming approach to the work, celebrating empathy, compassion, solidarity and inclusivity as key values for the exhibition, team and partners.
CLITSHOP
Hosted by The Pleasure Society and Underbelly
Wednesday – Sunday, 12:00 – 20:00
@ De Zware Jongens
During COME ALIVE, The Pleasure Society and Underbelly invite you to the CLITSHOP: the gift shop you’d usually expect at an exhibition, but slightly different. Expect to step into a world full of eroticism, sexiness, and art.
They’ll take you on a journey of carefully selected products, books, and experiences. Expect a holistic experience of what eroticism and pleasure can be. The Pleasure Society focuses on the physical and Underbelly on the mind. Both love art. The combination of sensory experiences and eroticism, artist publications and relevant studies allow you to experience this multifaceted subject in all its diversity.
Altogether the selection of products will create an immersive world of art, pleasure and eroticism.
partners
TEAM
Ine Gevers
Curator
flirting my way through life
Morgan Catalina
Curator
now we are somewhere we shouldn’t be
Onno Ephraim
Business Lead
boom, business gets done
Gari Koolen
Brand Manager
choke me and call me privileged
Cecile van Bruggen
Assistant Curator
the party gets stranger the longer it lasts, everything is like this
Martine Willekens
Media Relations
to the soul’s desires, the body listens, what the flesh requires, keeps the heart imprisoned
Monique Verhulst
Senior Production Manager
yay, outside again!!
Sandra Wermuth
Community Connector
it takes a village to raise a child
Humie Pourseyf
Assistant Producer
don’t take your toys inside just because it’s raining
Sharon Prince
Education Programmer
on my way to create space for everybody and every body
Iulia Cacina
Marcom Intern
a fusion between electric thoughts and hip dips
Roos Groothuizen + Cyanne van den Houten
Graphic Design + Website
fake me soft…
Leonor Faber Jonker
Copywriter
bare-chested in every single one of my dreams
Jonathan Ho
Scenographer
to transcend all the five senses into an all encompassing void of sublime bliss
Cathelijne Blok
Special Projects
disco feminist art gazing
Nina Spa
Editorial Intern
Multi sensorial experience can bring us to the ‘wild beyond’.
VOLUNTEERING
Always wanted to work behind the scenes of a large-scale exhibition? This is your chance: sign up to be an exhibition host! As a host, you will welcome the visitors, sell tickets and help with the set-up and breakdown of events. Interested? Sign up today by following this link.
tours
You can book a tour as part of our educational programme, which we ofer for both secondary education (VMBO, HAVO, VWO) and college/university students. Be sure to check out our ‘tickling assignment‘ for a feeling of what we offer. Contact our Education Programmer for any specific questions.
If you are interested in booking a tour, inspiration session or special workshop for a larger group of professionals, send an email to info@come-alive.nl or call +31 6 16 49 56 43. We’ll find the best solution for your needs.
jobs
If you’d like to join our team, please check out our current openings (in Dutch) or join the exhibition as a volunteer. You can also always email us at info@come-alive.nl for a proposal to collaborate.
IN THE MEDIA
Zo’n inclusieve en fluïde sensuele verbeelding als hier, zie je zelden. – De Volkskrant
De tentoonstelling bezorgt bezoekers tranen van ontroering. – Telegraaf
Het leek wel of ik een andere dimensie betrad. – Zij aan Zij
Het is verrassend te zien hoe veelzijdig kunstenaars omgaan met een onderwerp dat in onze samenleving toch vooral als plat en commercieel wordt voorgesteld. – Trouw
Come Alive biedt een omvangrijke orgie van de perspectieven en potenties die zinnelijke erotiek, wulps plezier en blijmoedige sensualiteit te bieden hebben. – Metropolis M
Come Alive is goed beschouwd niet minder dan een oproep tot een volgende seksuele revolutie, eentje waar iedereen aan mee mag en kan doen. – Parool
Een wirwar aan kunstenaars toont wat sensuele verbeelding vermag en poneert een vanzelfsprekend inclusieve wereld. – Joyce Roodnat, NRC
Daar waar ooit harde munten werden geslagen, draait het nu om vloeibare sensaliteit en het samensmelten van mensenlichamen. – Uitagenda
De expositie trilt, gonst, geurt en tintelt. – Tableau Magazine
“Wij zijn ervan overtuigd dat we juist in deze tijd erotiek in de meest brede zin nodig hebben.” – The Tittymag, interview with curators Ine Gevers & Cecile van Bruggen
De expositie Come Alive representeert het heden van de stad zonder muren. – Algemeen Dagblad
Ieder zijn voorkeuren. Ieder zijn plezier, welk geslacht en aard ook, jong en oud. Come Alive heeft power te over. – Jeroen Wielaert, Nieuws 030
– Een gesprek met curator Ine Gevers over vibrerende schalen, bondage met auto’s en seks met planten. – Uitcast
Oscar Peters interview @ Nooit Meer Slapen – VPRO
press
Representatives of the press can request a free press ticket. The press ticket provides access to the exhibition during opening hours. Specialised tours by our creative directors or curators and interview requests with artists are also possible.
Please contact our press & media manager Martine Willekens martine@come-alive.nl to discuss the possibilities.
For press releases, downloadable photos and preview videos, please check our mediakit.
