Dear Friends, Supporters, and Kind Strangers,

My name is Janey. As a freelance graphic designer and photographer from Rotterdam, I have the opportunity to exhibit my work at Uncool Artists in New York City in May 2025. This exhibition is not only about femininity and identity, but also about taking space in a city that makes it hard to express oneself.

In New York, visibility for women is not a choice—it’s survival. Women make their presence known, but sometimes they must hide it, whether it’s on the subway, on the sidewalk, or in museums. (In)visibility is protection, and femininity is political. This project is about all women who make themselves visible in a world that doesn’t always give them space.

My work consists of an analog photo series of women in NYC and an interactive video installation: A young woman named Shevvy, with a free spirit, dances at the MoMA, a free entity expressing her identity through movement. The video, created in collaboration with international artist Luna Laila , is just the beginning. While watching, women can participate themselves—by connecting yarn to different parts of the installation, they trace their own movements and leave behind tangible paths within the space. Together, they create a vibrant artwork that emphasizes the power of female expression and occupying space.

This exhibition is not only a way to deepen my work, but it is also inspired by V-Female Photo Agency , a platform focused on the visibility of women in photography—a platform I co-founded with Nynke Schaaf. To share the power of female visibility in my work reflects our shared mission.

The Hard Reality:

The residency doesn’t pay—no flight, no accommodation, no production costs. As a freelancer, I work hard, but unfortunately, many creative professionals are not paid well for their work. I’ve been accepted to four artist residencies in NYC, and chose the cheapest option, but I still can’t make ends meet. I even had to buy my flight tickets via Klarna (a dutch payment service that allows you to buy products and pay for your purchases later) to seize this opportunity. But without help, I can’t make this happen.

The proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards:

Will you help me make this dream a reality?

Every contribution, big or small, helps bring me closer to my goal. Please also feel free to share the fundraiser with your network if you are unable to contribute.

Thank you for your support and for making this opportunity possible!

Love, Janey