A Friends Making Machine, Monster Chetwynd

Welcome to the Middelheim Museum! You are standing at the beginning of “A Friend Making Machine,” the first open-air exhibition by Monster Chetwynd!

“The title of the show, A Friends Making Machine, refers to a concept of being together that can be found in the performances/workshops, in the installations too, or even beyond this show. It is something people carry with them when they leave the show. The threads of connection that are created during the performances and in the build-up to the live moment and during and after are all connected as if by threads. Although it is a special substance that feels entirely weightless, and not binding, however wonderfully supportive it is. The memory and warmth you feel in knowing you are part of the troupe, it is a sense of belonging and community without having to pay taxes or to negotiate reciprocity. It is only temporary and it is really only beautiful and mesmerising and enchanting if you enter into the ‘play’ of it.”

— Monster Chetwynd, 2026

The exhibition does not follow a fixed route. The artworks themselves also unfold at different moments and in many forms. A sculpture may develop into a performance or a workshop, and vice versa. On two occasions the artist will be present to activate the installations through performances. At other times you can interact with the works at your own pace or take part in activities (see the programme overview).

The large, colourful installations act as a door and a window to the world of Monster Chetwynd. Through her interpretations of classical theatrical and visual elements — such as the proscenium (the arch above the theatre stage) and the Hellmouth (an entrance to hell through the jaws of a monster) — visitors enter a lively universe of humans and non-humans.