Altijd Gezellig

Altijd Gezellig is a theatrical installation by performance group BLISS and multimedia collective DSTRUCT, presented during the Kunstvlaai art fair. The project explores questions around social conventions, authenticity, and the conditioning of “gezelligheid” — the Dutch notion of coziness and conviviality — in public space. Set in an environment reminiscent of a traditional Dutch living room, visitors were immersed in an overload of cheerfulness: from plastic flowers to endless compliments, from festive lights to joyful music.

Known for their subtle performances that play with female archetypes and social conventions, BLISS created with Altijd Gezellig an ironic atmosphere in which the line between genuine hospitality and forced cheerfulness began to blur. DSTRUCT added a layer of digital interaction through projections, sound, and live-directed cameras, turning the audience into both spectators and participants in an orchestrated sense of joy.

The installation invites reflection on the Dutch desire for atmosphere and harmony — and how this often serves as a façade that keeps discomfort and confrontation at bay. Altijd Gezellig was a critical, humorous, and immersive experience that challenged visitors to reconsider the meaning of gezelligheid.

The project was curated and coordinated by Mothership and was part of the exhibition at the Kunstvlaai in Amsterdam.