FRAGILITY
Jeannette Knigge
Netherlands

Within the theme of Performing Identity, I have created various body-related objects; each object highlights a different part of our daily performance.
Fragility is often perceived as weakness, yet in my work it becomes a space of tension and possibility. I explore the fragile boundaries between body and identity, between what is given and what is chosen. Fragility emerges in the way identity is performed, always adapting, always vulnerable to the gaze and expectations of others. It is present in the contradictions we embody: the desire to belong and the need to remain true to ourselves.
Through body-related objects, I highlight how easily perceptions of beauty, strength, or authenticity can shift. Fragility here is not something to conceal but to acknowledge, it reveals the fractures that shape us. In its delicacy lies resilience, as each fragment of identity contributes to an evolving whole. My pieces invite reflection on how fragility defines our human condition; tender, unstable, and yet profoundly vital.

Nose-piece « Nose Hair », 2024
30mmx15mmx13mm mm / 8 gr
18 k gold
smithing, soldering
Photo : Femke Teussink

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