BRUTUS

In a world driven by capitalist efficiency, algorithms, data and AI are deployed to reduce human thought to an optimally performing resource. The productive are exploited; those who do not generate value are marginalized. In the relentless pursuit of profit, neurodiversity is therefore quickly framed as a defect. Our upcoming exhibition AUTONOMOUS shifts this perspective. The exhibition presents neurodiverse ways of thinking not as limitations, but as essential forms of resistance and liberation, showing that a society that can think only in terms of efficiency ultimately loses its humanity, while different ways of thinking open the perspectives needed to reshape it. Curated by Ine Gevers, AUTONOMOUS is neurospicy and psychedelic, pushing back against the AI-generated monoculture of the mind. Through large-scale installations, immersive videos and interactive experiences, the exhibition launches a takeover of our computer-controlled, capitalist society. Across three chapters: Cognitive Capitalism, Y'all got ADHD and Psychedelic Pathways, visitors gain access to multiple realities and ways of perceiving the world. More info will follow soon. Curator and Research Following the Brutus exhibition Fake Me Hard (2021), Ine Gevers returns as curator. With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of art, technology and society, Gevers’ research, supported by the Mondriaan Fund, on cognitive capitalism, neurodiversity and psychedelics underpins AUTONOMOUS. Brutus and Gevers share a distinctly inclusive mission: attention for marginalized groups, mixed audiences and deploying art as a driver of social awareness and change.

This summer, from June 5 through 7, Brutus will host the third edition of the Levenslust Festival. The festival is a unique collaboration between the Levenslust Academy, Stichting Pluspunt Rotterdam, CVD, and Brutus Art Space, and is part of the exhibition AUTONOMOUS, curated by Ine Gevers The Levenslust Academy is for Rotterdam residents in vulnerable situations who can make their voices heard through art. By collaborating with professional artists, artists from the Levenslust Academy develop their talents and establish themselves as creators in the city through the Levenslust Festival. Equal collaboration is central to this: all participating artists strengthen one another. This results in a thought-provoking exhibition in which the creative process is at least as important as the final result. During the festival, the creative, personal, and social developments of all creators are celebrated. By approaching artists not based on their background, but on their vision and talent, the Levenslust Academy offers a platform for new perspectives. A vibrant creative haven During the festival weekend, the grounds and entrance of Brutus are transformed into a vibrant, creative haven. Visitors find themselves in a dynamic world where music, fashion, and visual arts converge. The Levenslust Academy embraces all disciplines and offers space to a broad mix of creators and perspectives. The participating artists are: Arturo, Barbara, Billie Turbo, Charlton, Denise, Floor Spits, Franky Vanity, Gilles, Guus, Heike, Ivon, Jolanda, Kenneth Letsoin, Lars, Mal, Mario, Mena, Milan, Marianne Kouwenhoven, Martijn, Marto, Meo Bhola, Nada van Dalen, Nelo, Nourdine, Peter, Ramsingh, Remy, Robbert, Robin, Sena Nyaku, Sigmond, Sillieman, Skillfulmatic, Sjoerd Labega, Theo, Ulrich Oron. The festival demonstrates that art is not just something to look at, but also something that connects people and contributes to our well-being. During the Levenslust Festival, everyone—including the visitors—is an artist.

Carlijn Kingma dissects the housing crisis at Brutus: who is pulling the strings? The housing crisis is considered to be the social and political problem of our time. In a large, extremely detailed drawing entitled 'De machinerie van de volkshuisvesting' (The machinery of housing), Carlijn Kingma depicts who the players are, what mechanisms are at work in the background, and which buttons can be pushed. This new work forms the heart of the exhibition Fear of Falling. In collaboration with Thomas Bollen, Martijn Jeroen van der Linden, Sarah van der Giesen, and Jackie Ashkin Carlijn Kingma dissects the housing crisis at Brutus: who is pulling the strings? The housing crisis is considered to be the social and political problem of our time. In a large, extremely detailed drawing entitled 'De machinerie van de volkshuisvesting' (The machinery of housing), Carlijn Kingma depicts who the players are, what mechanisms are at work in the background, and which buttons can be pushed. This new work forms the heart of the exhibition Fear of Falling. In collaboration with Thomas Bollen, Martijn Jeroen van der Linden, Sarah van der Giesen, and Jackie Ashkin

An exhibition at the intersection of Art & Design in which they explore how migration, displacement, and cultural fusion affect identity. The exhibition starts from the realization that a “safe haven” is not fixed, but is shaped by movement, transfer, and change. When cultures mix and take on new forms, the way in which identity is experienced and passed on also shifts. What Becomes is part of the QISSA talent program VISUAL STORYTELLERS and showcases the multifaceted work of eight innovative artists, curated by the Rotterdam duo Opperclaes. The result is an exhibition featuring large-scale art installations, digital experiences, performances, and film screenings. Participating artists: Naoko Deriu, Black Childish, Caithlin Courtney Chong, Esra Çöpür, Lorenzo Lennox Schmidt, Tyler Chan, Guanyan Wu, and Rawen Jouini Program during Museumnacht010: 21:00 - 22:30 DJ Jewel 22:30 - 22:45 spoken word Jackie Ashkin 22:45 - 23:15 Live act - Lui Surreal 23:15 - 01:00 DJ Guanyan Wu

Want to discover everything Rotterdam has to offer in terms of Art and Culture in a single night? Then include Brutus to visit at Museumnacht010 on Saturday, March 7, 2026. Program - Brutus x QISSA 21:00–22:30 DJ Jewel 22:30–22:45 Spoken word by Jackie Ashkin 22:45–23:15 Live: Lui Surreal 23:15–01:00 DJ Guanyan Wu Also from 20:00 till 01:00 Fear of Falling by Carlijn Kingma WHAT BECOMES by QISSA Disco Inferno by Atelier Van Lieshout Ziekenhuis van de Toekomst by Atelier Van Lieshout Destroyed House by Marjan Teeuwen