Haperende Mens is a Amsterdam based arts initiative which creates exhibitions, organizes concerts, develops research and instigates various projects in collaboration with artists, cultural organizations and creative partners.
Haperende Mens sees the fragility of life as a starting point and places coincidence, the unexpected and uncontrolled at a centre. These “haperingen” generate an incentive to grasp freedom and to reach over borders. Art isn’t being presented with cut-and-dried explanations, but as reactions to the subjectivity of daily existence.
Innovative developments in society derive from the actions, courage and risks from people at the frontiers of social conventions. These are the processes that can function as a germ for progression and change in both life and art and culture. Risk and non-conformism is characteristic to the artists and musicians presented by Haperende Mens. The activities cause non-institutionalized art to find a place in the renowned arts circuit.
Haperende Mens presents a mixture of fine arts, music, film, performances and lectures to combine disciplines and broaden artistic possibilities. The borders between art and music often diminishes because of the multidisciplinary working methods of the presented artists. Experiments and looking for boundaries in art is inherent to our vision on art.