With hundreds of different types of butt cleaners in store, Ghita Skali’s exhibition Natuurlijk questions what is seen as natural in regards to hygiene and cleanliness.
Skali’s new video work tells the story of a proud Dutchman called Joep de Jong, who works at the flower market and is looking for a watering can to keep his tulips alive. During his quest, Joep shockingly discovers that the cans are being used for different purposes… Through humour, caricature and stereotyping, Skali discusses existing power relations regarding the definition of hygiene, that stem from a colonial past but are still present today. A past in which Western ideas of hygiene and cleanliness were pushed into colonised countries and the norms of native cultures were looked down upon. She shows how what’s ‘natural’ is a cultural construct, carrying bias.
The exhibition Natuurlijk familiarises you with the cultural diversity in the world of hygiene. Because who decides what is normal and what is not? How to clean your teeth or butt?