In the display case in front of the Palace of Justice in Arnhem, Plaatsmaken has been showcasing contemporary visual art for several years. This is based on the idea that encountering art in unexpected places can add an extra spark to your day.
On display in the showcase from February 17: Sam Zanardo
Sam Zanardo is an interdisciplinary artist and a facilitator of inclusivity. Their work explores the body as a site of relationships, where affection, the everyday sacred, and contemporary technology intersect.
This collection of works is part of Sam’s ongoing research into folklore, rituals, and magic in Southern Italy. Inspired by the visual representations of Catholic sanctity and female martyrdom—where women's bodies were often examined or dissected as proof of their holiness—Sam studies the shifting meanings attributed to the body. Their work engages with themes such as voyeurism, dissection, and the spectacle of suffering, reflecting on systemic violence, gender, and identity.
Sam often places these historical references alongside family archives and self-portraits, weaving together multiple narratives that embody the contradictions of pain, pleasure, and transformation, inherent to the human experience.
This installation also serves as a reminder—a requiem—for Giulia Cecchettin, who was murdered on November 11, 2023. Her death is one of countless cases of femicide, a systemic and deeply rooted form of gender-based violence that remains largely unacknowledged.
In collaboration with the BEAR (Fine Art) department of ArtEZ, (former) students are given the opportunity to submit proposals for the showcase. This benefits both parties: young artists gain experience in exhibiting, while Plaatsmaken ensures the programming of emerging talent directly from the academy.