Self‑Portrait in BLUE – A Collective Vision Curated by Carmen Heemels

[Lars Schumacher]

The exhibition Self‑Portrait in BLUE unfolds from the artistic vision of Dutch artist and curator Carmen Heemels, whose work often explores the delicate balance between natural order, human perception, and the quiet power of connection. Known for her conceptual installations, land art, and socially engaged projects across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, Heemels approaches this Mail Art initiative as both an artistic experiment and a gesture of global togetherness.

Inspired by her solo exhibition Fibonacci Hierarchy?, Heemels extends her inquiry from natural patterns to human presence. She invites artists worldwide to send a small, physical self‑portrait — no larger than 15 × 15 cm, created in shades of blue. The result is a remarkable gathering of 227 self‑portraits by 169 artists from more than thirty countries, forming a vibrant, transcontinental tapestry of identities.

Heemels describes the installation as a “Blue Blanket” — a warm, protective fabric woven from individual contributions. Each portrait is unique, yet together they create a shared field of color and emotion. Blue, the color of the sky, becomes a symbol of openness and boundless connection. It is a reminder that creativity can cross borders effortlessly, and that the act of showing oneself — even in a small square of paper — carries strength.

The participating artists, ranging from emerging voices to renowned figures of the international Mail Art movement, enrich the project with extraordinary diversity. Their works span drawing, photography, collage, printmaking, mixed media, and experimental techniques. Though each artist stands independently, their contributions gain new meaning in dialogue with one another. The exhibition celebrates this collective energy without losing sight of the individual stories embedded in each piece.

Amid this global constellation, it is a pleasure to be part of the exhibition — to stand alongside artistic companions and long‑time fellow travelers, and to share a position within a project that honors both individuality and community. The sense of belonging that emerges from this shared blue field is one of the exhibition’s quiet strengths.

Self‑Portrait in BLUE is therefore more than an exhibition. It is a living archive of global artistic exchange — democratic, inclusive, and deeply human. It invites visitors to slow down, to look closely, and to feel the gentle warmth of a community that has come together through art. Under Carmen Heemels’ curatorial guidance, the project becomes a testament to how small gestures can create large spaces of connection, and how art continues to build bridges across continents.

Artist: Horst Tress, Sabela Baña, Amadeu Escórcio, Reen Sanderse, Ed Hanssen, Marco Furia, Vlasta Črčinovič, François Ruel, Keiichi Nakamura, Jacek Czapczynsky, Agnieszka Wójtowicz, MH//ANTIPODE, Fabrizio Pavolucci, Stephen Tomasko, Grzegorz Szmidt, Melanie Bäreis, Ed Giecek, John Cumming, Tanja Spenko, Ryosoke Cohen, V.E.B. Freie Brandstiftung, Ginny Lloyd, Gloria Keh, Nihal Güres, Virginia Milici, Carmela Sarcina, Serse Luigetti, Serena Rossi, Giovanni & Renata StraDa Da, Tamara Wyndham, Agnieszka Sawicka, Birgitta Volz, Sonia Socorro Cabaña, Suzanne Mitterwieser, Uwe Höfig, Veronique Pozzi-Painé, Manuel Calvarro Sánchez, Maria-Margarita Dyankova Ivanova-Getova, Peter Abajkovics, Konstantin Markov, Mzia Valerian, Akif Nabihan, Elena Makova, Zlatko Krstevski, Roberto Scala, Derya Avci, Petra Kremer-Horstes, Miguel Jimenez, Mimi van Bindsbergen, Abdolreza Rabeti, Jole Spaletra, Laçin Hazal Karadağ, Keiichi Nakamura, Alberto Lamas, Duygu Çetin, Goethe Kippenberger, Silvano Pertone, Funda Salt, Zorica Obradović, Mehrsa Hadavi, Mohammadaref Zabihi, Fazaneh Mahdavi, Artin Hosseinsalimkadi, Mohamad Sadegh, Maryam Rahimi Pour, Soraya Khani, Abdolreza Rabeti, Karen Hatefi, Shaylin Iranifar, Amanda Samadi Torkamani, Farnaz Sinaei Hamed, Mobin Thaghizad Badrian, Jerzy Stepniak, Simone, THE WASTED ANGEL, Amir Farid, Maria do Carmo Both, Ted Polkinghorne, Donna Nona, Anneke Korsters, Mahsa Shiekhy, Alessandra Degni & Simona Sarti, Rosalie Gancie, Toan Vinh La, Fred van Welie, Judith Carlin, Simon Warren, Rod Summers, Brigitte Wallis, Anna Wajda, Maryna Podolska, Adam Czech, Krzusztof Pasztola, Barbara Ohmann, Susan Gold, Aneta Sadowska, Ryosoke Cohen, Simon Warren, Claudio Gavina, Diana Magallón, Paulo Teles, Laura Lambré, Albert Herbig, Ilmar Kruusamäe, Franca Oostveen, Joey Patrickt, Butch J. (Cathy) Paje, Larry Angelo, Carmelia Davidesen, Fábio Di Ojvara, Honoria Starbuck, Lilla Piszmán, Paulo Duarte Filipe, Teresa Pego, Marzia Maria Braglia, Renata Danicek, Pedro Bericat, Jerzy Stepniak, Beata-Joanna Przedpetska, Meral Agăr, Renate, Wolfgang Rostek, Jarka Fox, Laura Lambré, Judy Coppola, Stefan Heuer, Lars Schumacher, Stephan Mitterwieser, Susanne Schumacher, Friedrich Schumacher, Asma Ounine, Guroga, Edyta Dzierż, Hervé Alexandre, Pedro Gonzalves García, Eva Konya, Dave Aka Davmo, Lola González, Margareth Degeling, Floki Gauvry, Theresie Tholen, Sjra Borstboom, Sofia Rodriguez, Daniela Lewin, Donna Mattila, Monique Willemse, van Royen, Tony Martin, Astrid Meijer, Blanka Noval, Aaron Flores, Dr. Jaspalis, Ai Katerini Deligianni, Nicolas Malevitsis, Daniel C. Boyer, Sükran Bulut, Hugo Pontes, Alfonso Caputo, Henry Grahn Hermunen, Lara Favaro, Bandini Fabrizio, Poul Poclage, Hanna Bayer, Osvaldo Morales Barraza, Marta C. Viliani, Alfonso Caccavale, Devin Cohen, Rebecca Martell, Carmen Heemels - Artist from: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brasil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland/Sweden, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mexico/Austria, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden/Finland, Turkey, UK, UK/Netherlands, USA, Venezuela