Portraits Of My Demons
From 11 October, Carte Blanche and Jij Bent M. present the solo exhibition Portraits of My Demons by artist Gurb (Yoeri Teuben, 2000) at Kunstlinie, Almere. The exhibition is his most personal project to date: a visual universe in which fear is made tangible. Not as a mere threat, but as part of our daily existence.
The title of the exhibition refers to demons, but not to the stereotypical image of demonic monsters. Gurb takes his inspiration from Japanese manga culture, where 'demons' (such as yōkai, oni or akuma) often play a much more complex role. These creatures are sometimes terrifying, but just as often funny, melancholic or even protective. They have characters and emotions and function as mirrors or guides within a story. This is exactly how Gurb approaches his own 'inner demons': not as enemies to defeat, but as companions we learn to live with.
Gu...
From 11 October, Carte Blanche and Jij Bent M. present the solo exhibition Portraits of My Demons by artist Gurb (Yoeri Teuben, 2000) at Kunstlinie, Almere. The exhibition is his most personal project to date: a visual universe in which fear is made tangible. Not as a mere threat, but as part of our daily existence.
The title of the exhibition refers to demons, but not to the stereotypical image of demonic monsters. Gurb takes his inspiration from Japanese manga culture, where 'demons' (such as yōkai, oni or akuma) often play a much more complex role. These creatures are sometimes terrifying, but just as often funny, melancholic or even protective. They have characters and emotions and function as mirrors or guides within a story. This is exactly how Gurb approaches his own 'inner demons': not as enemies to defeat, but as companions we learn to live with.
Gurb asks the question: what does it mean to live a life in which your demons do not disappear, but become part of your story? His work offers no ready-made answers, but invites reflection. At a time when mental health is increasingly a topic of conversation but difficult to make tangible, Portraits of My Demons literally makes this theme visible. Fear is not romanticised or dramatised in this exhibition, but approached as something universal: everyone carries it with them in their own way.
A mixed-media artist, Gurb builds his images from collage, painting, soundscapes and animation. His practice is intuitive as well as technical: he collects fragments from street culture, music, fashion, childhood memories and digital imagery and merges them into a new narrative. Illustration and sound design intertwine, creating worlds that are both recognisable and elusive. Gurb's imagery does not explain, but depicts, and precisely because of this it creates room for personal interpretation.
The exhibition at Kunstlinie unfolds in three rooms. Each room has its own character and depicts a mental state: from confrontation to stillness, from inner chaos to imagination. This spatial structure gives visitors the chance to get closer to the artist's world step by step -and perhaps also closer to their own inner world.
In a society where psychological pressures among young people are on the rise, this exhibition provides a space for imagination, recognition and conversation. Gurb's demons are not nightmares, but images that invite us to look differently: at ourselves, at each other and at the world we live in.
Portraits of My Demons is the result of a year-long residency by Gurb at Carte Blanche. The Flevoland production house curated and produced the exhibition on behalf of Jij Bent M. and it will take place in Kunstlinies art hall. In doing so, three organisations join forces to share contemporary visual culture with a wide audience. For Gurb, this exhibition marks an important step: his first solo exhibition and an artistic milestone in which he connects his personal story with pressing social issues.
Take a closer look
When
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Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 21 December 2025
1pm - 9pm
10.00 - 17.00
Prices
- € 12,50
- Payment options: Cash, PIN, Online