Madeleine Berkhemer French, 1973-2019

Overview
Madeleine Berkhemer, Diabless IV, 2003
Madeleine Berkhemer
Diabless IV, 2003
Felt pen and watercolor on paper
147 x 97 cm (18 ½ x 38 ¼ in.)
Signed, dated titled on the verso

Madeleine Berkhemer’s work lies at the intersection of photography, sculpture, installation, and performance. Her background in fashion informs a practice deeply rooted in the body, clothing, and the codes of seduction.

Works
  • Diabless IV
    Madeleine Berkhemer
    Diabless IV, 2003
    Felt pen and watercolor on paper
    147 x 97 cm (18 ½ x 38 ¼ in.)
    Signed, dated titled on the verso
Biography
Madeleine Berkhemer, Diabless IV, 2003
Madeleine Berkhemer
Diabless IV, 2003
Felt pen and watercolor on paper
147 x 97 cm (18 ½ x 38 ¼ in.)
Signed, dated titled on the verso

Madeleine Berkhemer was a Dutch artist (1973–2019).


She studied fashion at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam from 1992 to 1996. After her studies, she worked for several years as an assistant to designer Martin Margiela and also collaborated with Christian Louboutin. Her background in fashion remained a significant influence on her artistic approach.


It was not until the 1990s that she fully dedicated herself to an independent artistic practice. Her work was multifaceted, blending photography, drawing, collage, sculpture, installation, and performance.


Her own body was central to her work; notably, she created the characters Milly, Molly, and Mandy—three alter egos that frequently reappeared in her output.


She played with the codes of fashion, eroticism, and representation, utilizing materials such as tights, latex, rope, and metal.


Madeleine Berkhemer lived and worked in Rotterdam until her death in 2019.