IztokK

As a photographer, filmmaker, artist and tutor, I tell stories of our lived experiences. I do this through performative settings, alter egos, and landscapes.

For me, a queer emancipatory mindset starts with being visible. This is a first step towards an act of resilience that I translate into art.

I was born in Slovenia (then a part of Yugoslavia). Even before my own visibility began, it was fed by the 80’s, a time in which market socialism was crumbling. Artists – queer and non–queer – were connected into one progressive movement and with the whole world. Through their radical expression, they gave a sharp comment on the hypocrisies of the failing system surrounding them.

This movement continued into the 90’s and the early 00’s. At the time, I found myself amidst a lively activist community in Ljubljana. I cherish their heritage of creating a life outside of the stifling limitations of conservatism and capitalism.

I work with both professional performers and people without that experience. Through conversations and exchanges, we arrive at performative actions. This embodiment of a person into an alter ego in their imagined habitat is felt throughout my work.

I am now doing the same with myself as my own alter ego, Smutty Smut.

Through being a member of a think tank and contributing to artistic projects with my filmmaking skills, I am involved in an organisation called Tussenlanding. At its core lies the recognition of and moving with the ever changing concept of the Dutch migration society.

My autonomous work and commissioned projects span film, photography, and performance and have been presented at Eye Filmmuseum, Framer Framed, Museum Arnhem, ImagineIC, the Centre of Contemporary Arts in Celje, at the Pride Art Route in Amsterdam, and at various film festivals.

I have been teaching moving image since 2016, starting at HKU Design (Utrecht) and, since 2019, at the royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague. There, I am the moving image specialist at BA Photography, I lead an academy–wide class called Queer Movement and I work as a member of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Workgroup.

I am based in Haarlem, The Netherlands.