Kjartan Slettemark, knähund/Lapdog of the bourgeoisie, Malmö Konsthall, 1975, . In the framework of Annika Eriksson, we are not who you think we are, performance series, 2006-2009.
Over a period of nearly five years, Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie interrogated how class structures shape the production, presentation and reception of contemporary art. Initiated in 2006, the project asked complex, unresolved questions, such as: How does class impact who becomes an artist or curator? Can contemporary art itself be seen as a privilege of the middle classes? Twenty years on, we return to these questions and ask why class continues to be so easily overlooked in the production and presentation of art—even at a time when matters of political equality are far more prevalent than before.
The exhibition is revisited at de Appel in 2026 by curators Eszter Szakács and Tirdad Zolghadr, with new contributions by artists Özgür Atlagan and Alina Lupu. Originally curated by Nav Haq and Tirdad Zolghadr, featuring artists Annika Eriksson, Chris Evans, San Keller, Hassan Khan, Marion von Osten, Natascha Sadr Haghighian and others.
📌 Saturday 10.10.2026, 18:30–19:30 as part of 24 uur Zuid
Opening Programme of Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie 2026: Class Hegemony in Contemporary Art. Photo: Nikola Lamburov
How does your background shape your opportunities in the art world? And is contemporary art actually accessible to everyone? Find out during a guided tour of the exhibition Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie 2026: Class Hegemony in Contemporary Art as part of 24 uur Zuid, where curator Eszter Szakács will take you through the exhibition. You will view material from the archive and learn more about the questions that sparked the original project. The tour will also explore why these topics remain important today. ‣ More info
Working Conditions by Alina Lupu is a two-part public programme on class, labour and culture, accompanied by a temporary library, parallel to the exhibition Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie 2026: Class Hegemony in Contemporary Art. What do we do with an eight-hour day when we are not working for a wage? And what happens when we have to? Learn more about the two public programmes below.
Sorry, I Have To Work: A Pizza Party & Film Screening
📌 Saturday 17.10.2026, 14:00–22:00
Throughout the day, a film programme selected by Jeffrey Babcock will be screened on the topic of class and collective struggle. The cinema is informal and porous: watch a film, leave and return, join a conversation, have a snack, or spend some time reading from the temporary Class Library.
Meanwhile, Alina Lupu is at work. During her shift, pizzas made by the artist at the restaurant will travel from one workplace to another, arriving at de Appel. The artist’s absence is not a performance but a working condition: while the party takes place, she has to be somewhere else earning a wage. ‣ More info and reservations
Eight-hour Organising/Venting: Making a Banner, Printing Shirts and Talking about Class 📌 Saturday 31.10.2026, 12:00–20:00
Throughout this eight-hour collective work session around class, labour and the arts, invited artists, cultural workers, organisers and labourers from other fields will join an open, walk-in gathering where everyone is welcome to participate. There is no stage and no fixed distinction between speakers and audience: conversations happen while cutting, painting and stitching a large banner, T-shirts, drinking coffee, taking breaks, or simply spending time together. ‣ More info and reservations
de Appel is looking for a new member of the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board ensures that the management performed by the Board of Directors is done according to the mission and programme of the foundation. The Supervisory Board focuses on strategically relevant topics, the long term sustainability of the organization, the realisation of objectives, financial and operational performance.
You can express your interest by submitting your letter of interest and your cv no later than 30 September 2026. Interviews with a representation of the Supervisory Board and Board of Directors will take place in the first week of October 2026. ‣ More information and how to apply
📌 Saturday 03.10.2026 & Sunday 04.10.2026
at BAK Basecamp, Utrecht
On the occasion of Gabriëlle Schleijpen’s completion of her tenure as artistic director and head of programme (2002-2026) of the Dutch Art Institute (DAI), and celebrating her legacy, the second edition of APRiCot Garden 2026 will revisit the enduring questions posed by one of DAI’s founding projects. This two-day sympsium brings together many contributors, among them Marwa Arsanios, Quinsy Gario and Tirdad Zolghadr. Alongside this, de Appel continues its partnership with DAI as part of its COOP curriculum. ‣ More info
