Episode 071: Daya Cahen

Kevin Kirkwood visited the studio of photo and video artist Daya Cahen. There, they talked about how some of her childhood experiences impact the work that she creates today. 

Daya Cahen (NL/USA, born in Amsterdam) studied photography at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. She works primarily in the fields of photography and video.

In her work, she focuses on forms of political influence and the systematic manipulation of the human being. Her main interest lies in the power of mass media and its use in the construction and presentation of propaganda, indoctrination or manipulation.

Having two parents who survived WOII as Jewish children, the artist grew up with the notion that the world can change on you in a day and you never know at which end of the line you will end up. A society can turn against any group of people. Investigating how these developments of indoctrination, radicalization and fear of otherness can arise within society form the starting point for all of Cahen’s work.

Her works have been widely screened and exhibited among others at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin), Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Dutch Photo Museum, Kunstmuseum Bonn, De Appel arts centre (Amsterdam), Wiels (Brussels), Centre Pompidou and Palais de Tokyo (Paris). She participated in various international film including Short Film Festival Oberhausen, IDFA, International Film Festival Rotterdam and was nominated for a Golden Bear (Short Film) at the Berlin International Film Festival.

 

DayaCahen.com

IG @daya.cahen

 

The Strand is produced by Kevin Kirkwood @kevinwillpaint @strandpodcast

All episodes are available at www.kevinwillpaint.com/strand and on all major podcast platforms. Including Spotify, Apple, iHeart, and Amazon.

 

Images courtesy of Daya Cahen