Artists – Viva La Vulva Festival

Denise (she/her)

Denise Rosenboom, Amsterdam. Denise is an artist and founder of The original Pussy Pendant. She had the courage to surprise the world seven years ago with her Pussy Pendants Necklaces with vulva's in different shapes and colors, made one-by-one in her kitchen in the center of Amsterdam. They are sold in The Stedelijk Museum and they created a world movement on their own. In the meantime, the necklaces became a metaphor of celebrating authenticity, diversity, freedom, inclusivity and love. This is exactly what Denise Rosenboom stands for.

Sabina (she/her)

Sabina works to destigmatize intimacy. "The word intimacy is often related to sex while it doesn't have to be that way at all. In our digital world we forget how to communicate, I try to stimulate communication and deeper intimacy, Same with the word Vulva, it is surrounded by taboos and stigma and often is related to sex. "I began crafting vulvas three years ago and picked up the pace last year. My passion lies in exploring themes surrounding sexuality and breaking down societal taboos surrounding the subject. Through my work, I aim to initiate conversations and challenge people's perspectives."

Sophia (she/her)

Throughout her childhood and adolescence, Sophia was an avid artist. In her early twenties, she started exploring female sexuality and her own desires through her art. This period was marked by a loss of sexual drive, which she attributes to self-protection from the judgment and slutshaming she experienced during her youth. Sophia then pursued a degree in law, but for three years she abstained from creating art. The societal issues she encountered during her studies led her to reflect deeply on her experiences as a person with a vulva and clitoris. After quitting law, Sophia began to heal through her art, creating vulva art as a way to process and express her experiences. At first, she was hesitant to share her work due to fear of judgment, but as her confidence grew, she felt compelled to make her art public and address taboo topics such as vulva diversity, female lust, and the clitoris. Sophia is determined to continue spreading awareness about these important issues through Klitzer.

Yelappa (she/her)

Yelappa Visser is a multi-talented artist with a background in social work, modelling and a passion for creativity. After graduating from her Bachelors in Social work Yelappa studied fashion design and illustration and founded Ye.Lapp, a sustainable fashion brand. Her art seamlessly blends social activism with creative expression. She is now creating "Vulva Art" for the first time as a way to celebrate the empowerment and beauty of the human body. With this collaboration, she hopes to raise awareness of the diversity of vulvas and celebrate their uniqueness.

Wilde Vulven (she/her)

Wilde Vulven is an artist and founder of Wilde Vulven. She started sewing her first vulvas initially for friends some years ago. The little patches became a big success and she realized that many people appreciated and cherished her work. There was so much to discover! Wilde Vulven had great talks and inspiring moments with many people and meanwhile she learned a lot about her own body, so she kept going. And here she is, still sewing vulvas, bright and proud and colourful. A vulva can cause pleasure and pain, agony and ecstasy. It is the natural path of every human being in life. Nonetheless, for centuries this part of the human body has been associated with shame and impurity, banished from stories and social discourse. Be it the taboo subject of menstruation, the trend towards plastic vulva reductions, practiced genital mutilation, the ban on abortions, misrepresentation in textbooks, the suppression of self-determined sexuality and gender identities beyond the binary... the list is long. With her work, Wilde Vulven therefore focus on the beauty and power of the vulva with its unique shape. The hope of Wilde Vulven is to create a space for exchange, discourse and empowerment - for all people with vulva and vulva allies! The colourful choice of fabric and individual texture makes each work unique. TREAT THE VULVA RESPECTFULLY! SHOW THE VULVA PROUDLY!

Mandy (she/her, they/them)

Mandy Pietjouw started creating vulva art three years ago driven by a desire to rebel against societal norms that sexualize the female body. "Naked bodies are just naked bodies. Everyone around me made it look like a big deal that I made my first vulva." A year ago, during her graduation year, Mandy decided to tackle the taboo topic of rape and trauma through her artwork. She found that having vulvas in the room as conversation starters allowed for a safer space for individuals to discuss these sensitive topics. Mandy hopes that her art can encourage others to communicate their experiences and needs, and help those without such experiences respond more empathetically.

Farah (she/her)

Farah is a researcher and a multi-disciplinary artist, interested in concepts and experiences concerning self-other relations. Growing up in Amman, Jordan where a lot of experiences related to intimacy and sexuality are a taboo, often expressed in Arabic as "eib!" which means shame, self-censoring becomes the norm. In her process of making sense of her own experiences and breaking away from such limitations, writing poetry and experimenting with sound recordings is a way to express and articulate herself.

Esmay (she/her)

Esmay van Loenen is a queer, intersectional feminist artist based in Utrecht, Netherlands. She is a student of Fine Art at the Utrecht School of the Arts and uses her colourful feminist art installations to challenge taboos. Growing up in the conservative environment of the Bible Belt, Esmay experienced a significant amount of shame culture. When she finally broke free and began her artistic journey, Esmay made it her mission to break taboos and openly discuss the subjects she was silenced from speaking about in her childhood. Esmay's art celebrates the diversity of vulvas in all shapes and sizes. She believes that self-love, self-knowledge, and open conversation are crucial in breaking the taboo surrounding the vulva. Her work often incorporates humor as a means of coping with and resisting patriarchal structures in society.

Romy (she/her)

As a fashion and costume designer, Romy transforms textile waste into one-of-a-kind garments that evoke happiness and empowerment. With a passion for the vulva and its diverse colors and textures, Romy believes that the vulva is not about beauty, but about joy. When presented with the opportunity to create a vulva-themed piece for International Women's Day, Romy eagerly accepted the challenge. Her work has since inspired the growth of a supportive community of vulva lovers. " If i can help spread more love for the vulva with my costumes i will surely do that!"

Flamoes art (he/him)

Flamoes Art is a talented artist who specializes in creating vulva artwork using porcelain. His mission is to raise awareness and acceptance for the vulva, breaking down the stigma and shame that often surrounds it. Despite being a heterosexual man, Flamoes Art's love and appreciation for the vulva drives their passion to make a difference. The vulva holds immense significance, serving as a symbol of birth and beauty in all its diverse forms, colours, and sizes. Flamoes Art's work celebrates this beauty, challenging the narrow and unrealistic standards that are often imposed on people's bodies. Visitors to Amsterdam can discover Flamoes Art's work on the city's Little Streets and admire the bold statements in each piece. Through their vulva artwork, Flamoes Art is making an impact and sparking important conversations about the value and importance of celebrating the human body.

Wies van Diepenbeek (she/her)

I’ve been making graphic art for a fews years now. Drawing and illustrating is a passion that got out of hand. My previous work is also based on feminine bodies and shapes, but more minimal and black and white focussed. I wanted to make more colorful art in order to make the most feminine part something to celebrate, in all its forms and shapes. Poezenplaatjes (pussy images in English) wants to celebrate the feminine. To Empower diversity and to make the world a bit more inclusive. In this world full of testosterone it’s time to embrace the power and the pride of the pussy with a colourful wink. Everything and everyone can be a pussy, and if you are: express yourself with pride!!

Peter Jongenelen (he/him)

In 2019, I had a life-changing experience when I saw a 3D print of a clitoris for the first time. Suddenly, everything made sense to me, and I was so fascinated that I had a T-Shirt printed with the image. To my surprise, I was the only one wearing it, and none of the people I met knew what a clitoris looked like. Fast forward to August 2022, when a friend invited me to a festival in Germany and asked if I could contribute an act. This was my opportunity to share my newfound knowledge, and so I created C-Spot - a golden sculpture and vulva tent designed to educate people about the clitoris. For two days, I spoke with women and men about this amazing organ, and I was thrilled to see so many people eager to learn. This experience was a natural progression for me, having spent over a decade listening to the Lovecast hosted by Dan Savage. In addition to my passion for promoting sexual education, I also have a background in designing, as evidenced by my work on the box performance for the Free Fringe Festival (which you can see in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj_LL-WIhQc). You can find more of my work on my somewhat messy website at https://kunstrokerij.wordpress.com/.

Cynthia (she/her) and Esther (she/her) from Lekkerblijvenlikken

Lekkerblijvenlikken (rougly translated ‘keep on licking’) stands for design activism with humor! Cynthia and Esther started on Instagram in 2019 with illustrations for more attention towards female pleasure, more equality and less injustice. To feel free to always be your fabulicious self. We tickle taboos with our pen, for more awareness and more diversity. Our illustrations are in your face, often with humor but always with a thick layer of love. We started of with illustrations on Instagram, now we proudly own a webshop (www.lekkerblijvenlikken.nl) and are for sale in several shops. We spread our message through cards, prints, jewellery, stickers, buttons and prints on secondhand clothing. We say: keep on licking for more equality!

Tam (they/them)

I’ve always been creative, but I never really liked my work because of insecurities. Then I discovered working with clay and that gave me more confidence. One of the first things I made out of clay was a vulva and when I put that on my Instagram I noticed that everybody was very excited and wanted to buy my work. I feel like it’s very important to appreciate vulvas more because they haven’t been the centre of attention for too long, while they should be. Vulvas need more appreciation and there has to be more representation of the diversity of vulvas. That’s something I try to put into my work.

Angie Loves (she/her)

Six years ago, we embarked on a mission to capture the essence of the female archetype and celebrate the vulva in a playful way. The result? Vulvalicious Soap - a true embodiment of life, reflecting the mysterious depth of a woman's essence. Our soap is designed to set free your feminine wildness and embrace your sensual, spiritual, strong, sexual, sensitive, and creative energy as a woman. During the event, we'll be showcasing and selling our handmade Vulvalicious Soap, which is part of our Tesoros collection. Made with love, passion, and natural ingredients, our soap is a product of the secrets of feminine and immense beauty that we've kept and processed. We take pride in our soap and believe that it's an excellent way to pamper yourself and connect with your inner goddess.

Victoria Catalina (she/her)

"Comics Slut is a lover of pop culture, camp and anything femme. She's a retired stripper, an illustrator and she does art direction for the Sex Worker’s media platform Red Insight. Her work takes inspiration from her lived experiences, but it is essentially romantic fantasies. She makes comics and prints that depict intergalactic sex workers, queer mermaid heartache and (literal) monstrous desire. Her goal is to create art about a sexy, sometimes unsettling and always cute unreality."

Peet Bouwens (She/her they/them)

"I started making vulva art when I saw an exhibition about Melle. An oilpainter who painted a penis in almost every painting. I couldn’t find any vulva’s in the whole exhibition. So when I got in my studio I got my 20 year old oilpaint kit and started making little paintings where the word “KUT” has a very prominent place. I disliked that the word is regarded as something bad and wanted to take it back somehow. More and more I started to love the powerful connotation that belongs to the word and no longer dislike the bad that is part of it."

Experts

Mila Vanila (she/her)

Mila Vanila is a multi-talented individual who is a successful business owner, nude model, activist, and sex worker.She is dedicated to advocating for inclusive porn by fearlessly challenging mainstream opinions. Mila's own experience of watching porn at 12 years old led her to question the uniformity of actresses and sparked her mission to represent the true diversity of vulvas. Her work is focused on filling the void she felt in her own youth and bringing real representation to the world.

Honey (she/her)

Through her erotic work and sensuality & intimacy coaching, Honey (she/her) empowers and guides individuals and couples to reclaim their erotic power, release shame and fear and feel more confident expressing their sensuality and sexuality. As an erotic artist & performer, she communicates her vision of normalizing and celebrating nude bodies and all the different forms and expressions of human sexuality while equally emphasizing that sexuality, eroticism and sensuality are not only natural forces but can also exist in a deeply spiritual lane.

Storytellers and spoken word artists

Soula (she/her)

Soula Notos is a theatermaker and performer of various styles: storytelling, spoken word, comedy, acting. She performed her solo "Who are you when no one is looking?" at various storytelling festivals (Oslo, Amsterdam, Prague, London) and also at Oerol and Festival Boulevard. She is part of the Mezrab team of storytellers and hosts. Her work explores themes of migration, gender, belonging, identity, power, empowerment, and freedom. She tries to connect, to change, to make people laugh, and to make visible what has stayed invisible. She wants to remember. More info: www.soula.nl

Irina (she/her)

Irina Koriazova is an Amsterdam-based storyteller. Born in a provincial city in Russia, she never thought she would leave. And yet here she is, trying to make sense of her life through telling stories. Irina often performs at Mezrab and other storytelling venues and events all over the Netherlands. Her stories are often described as raw and unsanitized. She has a dry sense of humour and she likes to turn things upside down: a huge scary monster becomes worthy of love, and a victim turns into a protagonist.

Jeff the Queer Turtle (he/she/they)

"Jeff van Reen* (also known as Jeff the Queer Turtle) is a spoken word artist who uses poetry and rhythm to create a raw connection with audience. She doesn’t shy away from any topic; the beautiful ones like love, feasting, and friendship, to the heavy ones like death, violence and illness, and everything in between. He wholeheartedly believes in the power of vulnerability and fully exposes himself on stage. Their ultimate goal is to be human and connect with other humans by building bridges under which stigmas can float away. *Jeff uses all pronouns: he/she/they"

Performers

Guus (they/them)

I'm a 19-year-old residing in Arnhem and use they/them pronouns. I enjoy a diverse range of activities in my daily life, such as spending time outdoors, cycling, modelling for a group of retired people who love painting, engaging in activism, bartending, teaching circus skills to kids, and working on various theater projects. Recently, I became a part of "Boys won't be boys," a play that explores various perspectives on masculinity. In my performance, I share my experiences as a transgender person and discuss how it has impacted my views on gender roles and body image. Additionally, I like to express my thoughts and emotions by writing poetry. It serves as a means of documenting my feelings in certain situations.

Wini Di (she/her)

"My name is Wini Di, and I am a neo-burlesque performer. I first discovered my passion for burlesque in 2011, when I appeared in a Dutch feature film set in a burlesque club. This experience sparked my interest and inspired me to research the burlesque scene. Long story short, I soon discovered a burlesque workshop, which marked the beginning of my burlesque career. Today, I am not only a performer, but I also share my passion for burlesque by teaching, working as a stage manager, and co-producing events both at home and abroad." Wini Di is known for her distinctive style that blends humor, outrageous costumes, and effortless grace. She is a trailblazer in the burlesque scene, showing everyone that age is just a number and that older performers are more experienced and therefore got “all that jazz”. Her performances are a testament to her experience, leaving audiences in stitches with her hilarious acts and on-point comedic timing. After a Wini Di show, audiences leave feeling liberated and empowered. Wini Di strives to be classy, a little bit funny, but mostly unexpected. She is a true burlesque diva, bringing a unique flair to every performance.

Bebe Berat Bebek (they/them)

Bebe Berat Bebek is a multi-talented non-binary trans actor, artist, creator, performer, organizer, serotonin source, social butterfly and a professional fat. Born in 1999, they bring a unique blend of millennial and genZ perspectives to their work. Born and raised in Turkey, now residing in the Netherlands, they have a diverse background in activism, political activism and a deep understanding of the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community. While studying chemistry at Bogazici University, along with socio-political experience from their social circles, they started to be more visible as an activist and as a queer person. Within their previous experiences from theater, they started to lean more into performance art and drag and came across with other disciplines such as ceramic, painting, and embroidery. Having a curious mentality, they let themselves fly through any and every aspect of art and learning through different perspectives. Falling down so many times throughout their life, they're familiar with the feeling of the ground and now refusing to accept the norm of 'being obliged to suffer' towards queer people and they believe it is time to reflect, retake and recreate.

Flora (she/her) & Coco (she/her)

Flora and Coco are experienced dancers with a diverse background in various styles, but specialize in the sensual art of Burlesque. They perform together and individually on stages throughout Holland and Europe, promoting empowerment and encouraging women to embrace their feminine power and sensuality. As the headmistress of the Amsterdam School of Burlesque, Flora has been teaching Burlesque for almost 15 years and has trained and coached numerous women in the Art of the Tease, helping them to discover and reclaim their sensuality. Coco started learning Burlesque with Flora 5 years ago and is now also a teacher at the Amsterdam School of Burlesque.

DJs

DJ Willa (she/her)

Willa (she/her)! Our host! Coolness, and positive vibes is what she represents through her DJ & MC. Eclectic waves of genres from pop, urban and dance. Venues Willa performed in Amsterdam, Paradiso, Melkweg, Bitterzoet, Club Nyx, Cut Throat Barber, Bar Buka, Hoxton Hotel, Veronicaship, Club Akhnaton, De Trut, Vrankrijk, Spinhuis, Occii, OT301, Winston Kingdom, Homomonument, Milkshake Festival, The Property of, Topshop and private parties to wedding celebrations and school dances. Added to her DJ profile Willa is the creator and one of the event organizers of YARRR + Girl Drop parties (lgbtqi+). Furthermore she is a radio presenter aka Willa Dynamite on pinqradio.com.