Nina Wijnmaalen (45) creates performance piece about childhood memories and patterns

Visual artist Nina Wijnmaalen is set to present her new performance piece, What the Body Remembers, at Loods 6 in Amsterdam on September 26. The project, which began in 2025 after Wijnmaalen won a residency grant, explores how childhood memories and behavioral patterns are stored within the human body. Working with students from the Academy of Fine Arts in Groningen and her own daughter, Wijnmaalen has created a series of evocative scenes that examine complex relational dynamics such as power, neglect, and affection. The performance blends elements of theater and visual art to challenge audiences to reflect on their own interpersonal connections.

Rather than offering a rational explanation or a moral lesson, the artist intends for the performance to bypass the intellect and speak directly to the audience's emotions. Wijnmaalen views the work as a series of snapshots that mirror the ways humans interact, hoping that viewers will recognize and find meaning in the depictions of intimacy and conflict. The show is described as both beautiful and confrontational, offering a unique, non-linear experience that invites individual interpretation.