TheNEWtribe by Kalkidan Hoex

A recent Masters graduate from Maastricht Academy of Art, Kalkidan Hoex was adopted from Ethiopia and brought up in the Netherlands. In her multi-disciplinary work Hoex examines the pervasive feeling of living between two worlds that has followed her for most of her life. The work speaks directly to those she considers a part of her own identity: youth of mixed descent, who were adopted out of their country or origin or had to flee with their families from their birthplace.

Despite the differences in backgrounds and upbringing, she feels that they share common interests and viewpoints. Through her practice, she is exploring the intricacies of her own identity while simultaneously connecting with this group that she identifies as The New Tribe. This series, TheNEWtribe is rooted in the representational practice of black culture, exploring the meaning of identity as posited through current trends and style. Hoex uses hand drawn comics and stand-alone illustration to further reinforce the symbolical and educational meaning of her jewelry pieces. The collection plays with a range of techniques, materials and aesthetics, attempting to find connections and relations between Western and African cultures.

My name is Kalkidan Hoex. I’m a MA graduated Jewelry Designer From Maastricht Institute of Arts on paper, but when it comes to how I see myself I would call myself a storyteller. I’m going to introduce you to how my Stories are created from different media’s and how I explore the meaning of jewelry as a tool to express black culture. As a person and creator I find myself most driven how I can be effective, a voice , create a language and can connected people from different worlds. Where I came to be is not just a stories about the passion for arts but also the Story about me as a person that got driven to the world of Arts. I want to give you a peek in how I create my work but at the same time also show you my perspective of how Representation, Symbolical meaning, education and identity are my key elements in my work. I want to take a moment to hear your stories as a person and maker.

I like real people
With real stories
/ Kalkidan Hoex


Dates: 27 Apr 2021.
Time: 7 pm.

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