On September 20, YAV brings his latest performance 'Movements of Soul' to Schouwburg Kortrijk in Buda. Yav, a versatile artist, has developed a unique artistic vision thanks to his experience in classical ballet and modeling for leading brands such as Armani and Marc Jacobs. Born in Belgium but having lived in the Netherlands for the past eight years, he is now slowly but surely returning to his homeland. This includes, among other things, this fusion of movement, music, and fashion.

“My main goal is to create art: to create space
to position myself in authentic ways.”

How has your experience as a model influenced your approach to performance art? 

“Clothing is a choice that people make to present themselves. I find it interesting how a particular piece of clothing can come across completely differently from person to person. Engaging with this in the context of a performance is a quest for balance between comfort and beauty. Fashion and performance are different disciplines and dimensions that I incorporate into my work in a certain way – a reflection of my complexity as a person, of who I am.”

As a model, you execute, while as a creator, you determine for yourself. How do these two relate to each other?

“At first glance, fashion and performance indeed seem like two different worlds: in fashion, there is only a limited amount of movement involved, and as a model, I contribute to an already existing concept. In performance, the authority lies completely with me: I create and determine. What I create is colored by where I stand with both feet, namely in various art forms. And fashion is one of them. In other words, the things I experience in the modeling world influence how I present myself in my own work. Who I am is what I create.”

“Being a creator is a form of ownership, and in that, I feel like a fish in water. For example, in the past, I had to make costumes for others that I didn’t want to wear myself. Some wondered to what extent such a thing wasn’t commercial. But there is, after all, a commercial side to diversity. You simply cannot reduce it to intrinsic motivation, because then you can only create impact in the short term.”

“I see that commercial side reflected everywhere: in theater, in dance, and so on. You just can’t escape it. The balance for me is that I give it a place and at the same time look at it critically, which creates a healthier equilibrium. For that, I always have to engage in conversation and be open to new perspectives. Freedom remains essential.” 

You want to create work that you would have liked to see when you were younger. You also see your work as a form of reclaiming power. How do you, as a creator with a diverse background, relate to the activism that is often linked to similar work? 

Yav: “Some people interpret it as activism; I see it more as an artist creating a fantasy world with the innocence of a child. For me, it is an attempt to make an authentic contribution to the notion of diverse authorship. You can see that the development of the field fluctuates: different feelings and thoughts come from all sides. That said, my main goal is still to create art. To create space to position myself. It is true that in ‘Movements of Soul’ I question the white theater codes, but I also want to tell my story in my own way. At the same time, I am glad that those conversations are happening. When organizations ask me, I find their motivation important. I am also very aware that not everyone gets that chance, which is already a privilege in itself.”

‘Movements of Soul’ was first presented in August 2021. Has the performance evolved since its premiere? 

“A lot has changed. Previously, there was a piece with a singer on stage, but because I wanted to bring singing and movement as close together as possible in the final version, I now perform alone on stage – I was already doing the costuming and producing the music myself anyway. The themes I work with remain the same, but over time I also change as a person, which affects how I relate to myself and my environment. Eventually, I asked myself: where do I stand today and how do I want to tell that on stage?”

What projects are you currently working on? What is in the pipeline?

“In April, I released my first EP ‘Eruption’, a journey about acceptance. The catalyst for that album was a breakup. I experimented with different genres, and in February the lead single ‘Why’ was released. It was nice to work with a small group without having to consider hundreds of opinions – that gave me a lot of say. Some music from that EP is also featured in ‘Movements of Soul’, which has now become a hybrid form of dance, music,performance, and concert!”