GILOT
Who were the women in Picasso's painting? What was their relationship to Picasso?
These questions led me to discover the story hidden within the artworks. A story that has everything to do with abuse and control. Romantic greed was at the root of Picasso's relationships, resulting in an unwillingness to grant the women their freedom. He painted them in a specific, unique way, which was strongly related to how he felt about them and what role they played in his life.
To this day, we look at the women through Picasso's eyes. Locked inside the paintings, these women have been deprived of their right to determine themselves how the world sees them.
Françoise Gilot was the only woman brave enough to break free from a life with Picasso and reclaim what had been taken from her.
In the solo GILOT, you follow her path to freedom.
Choreography Nilah Dönszelmann / Dancer Nilah Dönszelmann / Music Cello Sonata: I. Dialogo / Video Masao Parris / Year 2025
"In this piece,
I expose something
that is often overlooked:
the story behind the artist; the
woman behind the artwork.
And above all,
the right of every woman,
every human being,
to autonomy.
In the expansion of ‘GILOT’, I will also bring to light the five women who were left by Picasso. Through this, I want to symbolically give them back ownership of their identity.
DEVELOPMENT
Photos Arjan van Bruggen
Henny Kamerman Dansersprijs 2025
Comment from the jury
'This winner is so special because a powerful young woman has decided to give some of Picasso's muses back their own faces, voices, and light with this project, which combines dance with visual art.' (...) Her pitch was well-argued, clear, and professional, giving us the confidence to support the next step in her development as a creative artist.'