BODY HEAT exhibition explores intimacy of human warmth and emotion at droog gallery

the body head exhibition at Drool Design’s Amsterdam gallery

Curated by Yev Kravt, the BODY HEAT exhibition is on view from September 2nd to October 27th, 2024, at the gallery of Droog Design in Amsterdam, presenting a sensory exploration of body heat and its connection to human emotions. Featuring the work of eleven artists and designers, the exhibition includes photography, sculpture, installations, and multimedia works that delve into the physiological responses associated with emotions such as anger, love, desire, fear, passion, stress, and shame. Highlights include latex stalactites, symbolizing the intersection of the material and spiritual, and thermographic photography that visually captures the heat radiated by the human body. The exhibition invites visitors to engage with these intimate expressions of warmth, presenting body heat as a biological and emotional phenomenon.

Sweat-stress, 2013 © Anouk Kruithof

artworks explore how warmth shapes human interactions

The BODY HEAT exhibition at Droog Design gallery examines how the body reacts to emotions through physical responses—from sweating to crying—challenging the rational focus of today’s society. It emphasizes the role of sensory and intuitive experiences in daily life, showing how the human body responds to external stimuli like beats, vibrations, and the presence of others. The works displayed in the space by the Dutch design company explore how body heat becomes a medium for emotional expression, offering insights into how warmth shapes our interactions. The exhibition goes beyond the purely scientific view of heat, presenting it as a metaphor for human connection and identity. The eleven artists explore the invisible forces driving our responses, using body heat to reflect on emotional states and their external manifestations. 

Still Video Aukje Dekker, Life is Ride, 2023

curated by Yev Kravt | image by Edith Grusson

presenting a sensory exploration of body heat | image by Edith Grusson

Future Sensitive Honor Fraser (2022) © Lucy McRae | image by Charles White

featuring the work of eleven artists and designers © Edith Grusson

highlights include latex stalactites, symbolizing the intersection of the material and spiritual © Edith Grusson

Tear Gun by Yi Fei Chen

project info:

exhibition: BODY HEAT 
artists and designers: Andreas Kalli (CYP) | @kalli_andreas, Anouk Kruithof (NLD) | @anouk_kruithof, Armen Ter-Mkrtchyan (ARM), Aukje Dekker (NLD) | @aukjedekker, Bart Hess (NLD) | @barthess, Droog (NLD) | @droogdesign, Lucy McRae (USA) | @lucymcrae, Mike Pelletier (CAN) | @mikepelletiernl, Pleun van Dijk (NLD) | @p_l_e_u_n, SMITH (FRA) | @traumsmith and Yi-Fei Chen (TWN) | @fei_studio_
location: Droog | @droogamsterdam, Amsterdam
curator: Yev Kravt | @yevkravt
exhibition dates:  September 2 – October 27, 2024

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom