Jeroen van den Bogaert

A Foolish Pleasure of Wicked Schemes is a project departing from an ambiguous relationship with the subject of masculinity, that creator Jeroen van den Bogaert encountered within himself and other young men around him. He describes this relationship as one that involves a dilemma. “There appears to be a general consensus, which seems to be more evident in progressive circles than conservative ones, that certain masculine structures can be detrimental for everyone involved. Yet, the behaviour specifically resulting from these structures still seems to be attractive to some of the same people who share this consensus”.

It is a type of behaviour that causes sedition, spectacle, drama, repulsion and various other sentiments. “On the one hand, it is concerning and I take exception to it. On the other, it interests me and I feel attracted to it. It stands for a sense of freedom, “no one can tell me what to do”. However, it can be deemed reckless, and raise questions whether this freedom comes at the expense of others”.

From that vantage point the project offers a look into various expressions of masculine behaviour. In the form of a visual analysis, audio interviews and a series of tapestries, it intends to start a conversation, prompting inquiries such as: Where lies the genesis of this behaviour? How long has it been revered? To what extent has it changed in time, or has it remained the same? - and many others.