Tilda Swinton at the Eye Museum, Amsterdam

The Eye Museum in Amsterdam held an exhibition on the famous Scottish actress, performer, artist, and fashion icon Tilda Swinton: Tilda Swinton – Ongoing. And since I was in town visiting a friend… 

I always admired actors who do not shy away from being different and taking on roles that are a little out of the ordinary. And Tilda is just that.

Widely recognized for her fluid, androgynous style, Tilda has often challenged traditional gender norms in her life and work. She considered herself as “genderless,” and often has identified herself as queer, thou has also referred to herself as a woman (that’s why I am using she/her in this post). 

She is celebrated for, and often portrays, characters that transcend conventional gender boundaries. For example, do you remember Constantine (2005)? She played an angel, Gabriel. And in the more recent Doctor Strange (2016), she played the non-binary Ancient One. 

This exhibition at the Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam featured many photographs and videos, as well as a collection from her own wardrobe. The showcase included new and existing work by eight artistic partners and close friends: Pedro Almodóvar, Luca Guadagnino, Joanna Hogg, Derek Jarman, Jim Jarmusch, Olivier Saillard, Tim Walker, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

Here is an article by the Eye Film Museum about Tilda Swinton and Tim Walker: like-minded creatives exhibition. Do you remember when I wrote about Tim Walker? She featured there too: Art & Fashion: Tim Walker edition.

Gotta stay hydrated! Had a drink at the Eye Museum’s bar… with a view!