4 DECADES HAUTE COUTURE
& TEXTILE ART
MAIN DE DIEU
MAIN DE DIABLE
Peter George d'Angelino Tap
28 February - 14 April 2026
The Globe
Waldorpstraat The Hague
Defiantly Different
Rainbow icons in Delf'wear by award-winning fine art photographer Renata Dutrée
photography: Renata Dutrée
styling: Myrthel Jackson
muah: Dainora Dulcyte
"I created the DEFIANTLY DIFFERENT series specifically for the Arts &Culture Pride 2024. It is series of portraits of brave men and women who are all part of the Rainbow Community. To be an ode to their perseverance in achieving their life goal, acceptance of who they truly are and want to be. This comes at a price, but they persevere in creating awareness and paving the road for others like them.
The portrayed all wear couture pieces of the "Delf'Wear" collection created by Peter George D'Angelino Tap. These beautiful unisex couture pieces add to the uniqueness of each person photographed and shows off their beauty in singularity."
—Renata Dutrée
Venus Bijleveld
No matter what happens in society, queer people will always be there, we have always been there, and we will not be oppressed anymore. Drag is an art form that, like all other forms of art, responds to what is going on in society and how society is developing. Whether we receive mainstream media attention or at underground gatherings, we celebrate who we are.
—Venus Bijleveld
Rikkie Valerie Kollé
Last year I was crowned Miss Netherlands and that became world news. For the first time in Dutch history, a trans woman had won the prestigious title.
It not only earned me congratulations, but also numerous hate messages and even death threats. I'd be lying if I say it doesn't bother me. The threats have diminished. I do look carefully, I 'read' people, as it were, and then ask myself whether I can trust this or that person.
—Rikkie Valerie Kollé
Rowan Kievits
For me, all the looks and sweet, approving nods from people when I walked down the street with my boyfriend [...] made me feel much less safe. The feeling that all these people think I need their approval for my love for someone to be allowed to exist.
The feeling that my freedom to love is dependent on the opinion of the majority of society. All those smiles, nods and looks make you realise how fragile this freedom and safety is.
—Rowan Kievits
Lorella van der Hooft
She would pray for me, my aunt, hoping that maybe it would go away.
—Lorella van der Hooft
Ahmad Joudeh
Our daily life shows us a lot of work still needs to be done, we are still not ok, this is still not ok. Not until every human being is safe, not only people from the LGBTI+ community. There is a lot of discrimination, criticism in people's eyes when they look at each other. It is so big, that I can't contain it in just some words. There is no diversity until refugees are included as well.
—Ahmad Joudeh
Mark
“HEY HOMOOOO!”, “You walk like a girl!”, “After coming out you have become even gayer!”, “Don't act so gay”. Just a few quotes, which have been said or shouted at me several times. Words that made me feel ashamed and made me feel like I didn't belong. Is it that obvious? Am I really that gay? These are words that I have come to regard as normal. Every gay man has heard things like this said to him and maybe that says it all.
—Mark
Annelies
When I told my mother that I wanted a child, she responded with “Well, we have already accepted that you are a lesbian, now you don't have to want everything. That's just not possible if you're a lesbian, accept that."
—Annelies
Annelies is now a happy grandmother through her 21-year-old daughter.
Henrique Dos Santos aka Miss AbbyOMG
As a gay/drag queen/bisexual man, I am sometimes put in the box by the outside world and that can be quite annoying at times. I see people as people, not in boxes. That's what I would like to radiate as a drag queen and what I want to teach everyone. I grew up with domestic violence and it taught me a lot… We are all human beings who need love and as a drag queen it is my job to share that love and teach it!!! You can learn to love!
—Henrique Dos Santos
DEFIANTLY DIFFERENT
Venus Bijleveld
"We celebrate who we are. Our light is undimmable."
In March 2023, I organised a reading hour together with my drag daughter. This is an afternoon where we read from inclusive children's books to children and their parents and/or caregivers. This time there were many negative reactions on social media almost immediately after the announcement. Even though we had organised drag queen reading hours before.
It did not stop at negative comments under the post. Threats came in via private messages and I was also informed about closed "telegram" groups with more than 2000 people in which our (manipulated) photos were circulating. It did not stop at me and my drag daughter who would do the hour of reading, but my other drag daughters from my drag house were also threatened with name and drag name. After several death threats and after my address was found out, we wanted to report it to the police. Unfortunately, we were not taken seriously there at first. After all, the threats were against a “made-up alter ego, which we acted as if it were” and the threats were not “concrete” enough.
“We will come and get you, drag you behind a car, and give you a helping hand with your transition.” According to the police, they were just keyboard knights who would not make good on their threats.
After a few weeks, a petition was started against our reading hour, which would be signed by thousands of people within a few days. There were also calls for massive demonstrations. As a result, we were forced to organise a counterdemonstration.
Ultimately, there were far-right people from the Netherlands and Belgium with banners and we were shouted at and pelted with eggs. Fortunately, there was a much larger turnout at the counterdemonstration we organized. And we have very clearly shown an image of love, of color, of diversity and inclusivity. We kept our backs straight and our chins up. We have not been guided by fear and have drawn our strength from our community and the knowledge that many people from our community have fought for the freedom we have today. No matter what happens in society, queer people will always be there, we have always been there, and we will not be oppressed anymore. Drag is an art form that, like all other forms of art, responds to what is going on in society and how society is developing. Whether we receive mainstream media attention or at underground gatherings, we celebrate who we are. No one can take away our authentic power, our undimmable light and our unconditional love.
—Venus Bijleveld
DEFIANTLY DIFFERENT
Rikkie Valerie Kollé
"I want to make my voice heard"
As a small child I loved being dramatic and I also loved the spotlight. I was bullied a lot and had a bad time at school. I was eleven years old when I came out. That bullying lasted until I was sixteen.
All the mischief I got up to in high school was partly due to uncertainty about who I was. I mainly compared myself to others. You should never do that, I now realize. And confide in someone. Talking has been the key for me to find out what I was like. I can recommend that to everyone in this situation.
Last year I was crowned Miss Netherlands and that became world news. For the first time in Dutch history, a trans woman had won the prestigious title. It not only earned me congratulations, but also numerous hate messages and even death threats. I'd be lying if I say it doesn't bother me. The threats have diminished. I do look carefully, I 'read' people, as it were, and then ask myself whether I can trust this or that person. It shows that we still have a long way to go.
I want to break the stigma of being trans by telling my personal story. And to be there for trans kids. I want to make my voice heard and be a role model for all young women and queer people. I know what it's like to feel alone and not be surrounded by only positive thoughts.
In addition, I am concerned about the increasing anti-LGBTQ+ violence and actually I feel that we are going back in time. The Netherlands is increasingly moving from an inclusive to an exclusive country. For example, as a man you are afraid to dress femininely. Or that you are afraid as an LGBTQ+ couple, as an LGBTQ+ person to walk hand in hand with your boyfriend or girlfriend or as an older trans person to go on the street.
Let everyone have his or her worth. The rainbow family is under great pressure. The Netherlands used to be so progressive, but that is no longer the case.
—Rikkie Valerie Kollé
DEFIANTLY DIFFERENT
Rowan Kievits
"Our freedom and safety are fragile"
When we think of queer discrimination, we often immediately think of the violent 'hate crimes' against queer people. And yes, I will always remember the time that “all gays are pedophiles” was shouted at me. However, this is something that doesn't impress me much, because it's just one person, who I just don't take seriously.
For me, all the looks and sweet, approving nods from people when I walked down the street with my boyfriend had a much greater impact. This made me feel much less safe. The feeling that all these people think I need their approval for my love for someone to be allowed to exist. The feeling that my freedom to love is dependent on the opinion of the majority of society.
All those smiles, nods and looks make you realise how fragile this freedom and safety is. And that this is something we must actively commit to.
—Rowan Kievits
DEFIANTLY DIFFERENT
Ahmad Joudeh
"The best version of who we are is who we are."
Our daily life shows us there still needs a lot of work to be done, we are still not ok, this is still not ok. Not until every human being is safe, not only people from the LGBTI+ community. There is a lot of discrimination, criticism in people's eyes when they look at each other. It is so big, that I can't contain it in just some words. There is no diversity until refugees are included as well.
My personal highlight was when I was in my first year of ambassadorship for Pride Amsterdam where I chose to stand and have my pride on the refugees boat, not on the ambassador's boat. I'm not forgetting where I come from, what my background is. No one should forget what their background is. Because of what we are going through or what we went through, that is what makes us who we are today, and we have to honour that. That is what makes us special, the unique story that we have.
I hope for a better world, where everyone can find peace within themselves and that they stop racing for validation. The best version of who we are is who we are. It is not like someone else, who is not us. Find the person within you. Just accept yourself the way you are, the way you feel, the way you want to present yourself, the dancer, the actor, the singer, the model, the drag queen, the transgender, male to female, female to male, whatever you feel yourself to be, you should honour that and make it as unique as possible.
Find the person you want to be within you. Don't seek validation from anyone else but you.
—Ahmad Joudeh
ABOUT
Renata Dutrée
Renata Dutrée is a Dutch award-winning lensbased artist known for her portraiture and still life works that combine lighting with references to symbolism, religion, art and history. Her images explore identity through recurring dualities: concealment and revelation, and the feminine and the masculine. Reflecting on what is seen and what remains hidden, her portraits offer a contemplative view into the complexities of contemporary identity.
Drawing in part on her experience as a medical doctor, Dutrée layers personal narratives with broader social themes, addressing exclusion and discrimination by questioning social codes and conventions. Emotional and psychological undercurrents are brought to the surface, becoming universal reflections on resilience and the aftermath of life’s challenges.
Renata Dutrée is a graduate of the FotoAcademy Amsterdam and earned her medical degree with specialisation in dermatology from the Erasmus University, Rotterdam. Her work has been exhibited internationally and received multiple awards.
instagram.com/renatadutreephotography
