Trees Heil
Trees Heil

ABOUT

Trees Heil (1993, The Netherlands) works with the intimate and complex relationship between identity, desire, and self-expression from a female perspective. The female and queer body is celebrated as a source of creativity and imagination through photography, short films, and performances.
Her work delves into mental and physical experiences through a magical-realist lens. She embraces both vulnerability and the beauty of the unexpected. Heil mostly collaborates with female and queer models, using an intuitive approach. The models undergo a literal transformation during the creative process. Mutual exchange of ideas plays a central role here, which leads to a profound and meaningful collaboration.
Heil investigates the potential of the body and the power of physical expression. With her works serving as a platform where pleasure, curiosity, and creativity meet, thereby aiming to liberate the body from conventional notions.

Her work has been shown in Het Hem, Zaandam (NL), Museum Ijsselstein, Ijsselstijn (NL), Frascati Theater, Amsterdam (NL), W139, Amsterdam (NL), Marres,  Maastricht (NL), Kunstliefde, Utrecht (NL), Ruis, Nijmegen (NL), Onboards Biennale, Antwerp (BE), Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem (NL), SecondRoom Antwerp (BE), WORM, Rotterdam (NL) Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam (NL) and Yi Contemporary Art Center (CN).

In addition to her autonomous works Heil also works in commission especially within the field of fashion photography. She has shot fashion editorials for magazines including King Kong Magazine (UK), Sensitive Content Magazine (USA), BOOT magazine (ENG), GRIND magazine (JP) and Musée Magazine (NY). Recently she shot her first campaign for the fashion brand Camiel Fortgens. 

+31649266291
[email protected]
Instagram: @trees_heil


UPCOMING

Editorial, The Paper, Issue 2: The Terror Issue – Commissioned Work (UK) – End of April
Workshop, 'My Secret Garden', Maastricht Institute of Arts (NL) – Sept
Artist talk, Maastricht Institute of Arts (NL) – Sept 

CV

Education
2019        Likeminds Factory, theatre training programme, Amsterdam
2019        Royal Academy of Art, photography bachelor, The Hague
2017        Exchange period, KASK / School of Arts Ghent, installation art, Ghent
2016        Elective course, ethics, Leiden University

Exhibitions / performances
2025     Group Show, OSTRA gallery, Lisbon (PT) – 10 April - 10 Mei
             Group exhibition, Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem (NL) – 3 April - 17 Aug
             Solo exhibition, Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam (NL) – March 7 - April 20
             Screening, short film The Secret Garden, Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam (NL) – March 7 - April 20
             Performance, ‘Tableau Vivant 03’, during ‘Everything for the Image’, solo exhibition, Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam (NL)
             Group exhibition, Sino-Dutch Young Female Artists Photograph Exhibition, Yi Contemporary Art Center (CN)
2024     Screening videoclip 'Hic enda Thu' with Echo+seashell, Van Doesburghuis, Paris (FR) 
             Duo exhibition, Village bookstore Gallery, Leeds (ENG) 
             Group exhibition, Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam (NL)
             Performance, My Guides and Me & Piyoyo, OCCII, Amsterdam (NL)
             SWAB Barcelona Art Fair, Barcelona (ESP)
             Group exhibition, Hyphae Collective, Amsterdam, De Sering (NL)
             Group exhibition, Limburg Biennale, Marres Maastricht, Maastricht (NL) 
             Group exhibition, Seelab, The Hague (NL)
             Performance, My Guides and Me & Piyoyo, Seelab, The Hague (NL) 
             Group exhibition, Seelab, Group show, Jan Koos Feylbriefs Levensspiegel, The Hague (NL)
             Group show, Amsterdamse Kantoor van Clifford Change / Young Collectors Circle, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition, Kiekencentrale, Antwerp (BE) 
             Group exhibition ‘Prospects’ / Art Rotterdam, Van Nelle Fabriek, Rotterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Butus Next Door’, Brutus, The Hague (NL)
             Performance ‘Tableau Vivant 02’, during 'Come Together festival', Frascati, Amsterdam (NL)
2023     Performance ‘Tableau Vivant 01’, Kunstliefde, during 'U?' festival, Utrecht (NL)
             Group exhibition ‘Hazy Horizons’, Kunstliefde, Utrecht (NL) 
             Performance with My Guides and Me, Museum IJsselstein, Ijsselstein (NL) 
             Performance ‘The Puddle’, De Personeelskamer, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Duo exhibition with Bernice Nauta ‘The Puddle’, Personeelskamer, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition, How small can you go summer expo’, Tiny Art Gallery, Ruis, Nijmegen (NL) 
             Performance ‘ASS social’, Billytown, The Hague (NL)
             Duo exhibition with Bernice Nauta ‘The Puddle’, Art Bar Billytown, The Hague (NL)
             Window etalage, Launch King Kong magazine issue 16, Athenaeum Bookstore, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘In Touch’, Onboards Biennale, Antwerp (BE)
             Performance ‘The Horseday performance II’, Springboard Art Fair in Utrecht, Utrecht (NL)
             Springboard Art Fair, Werkspoorkathedraal, Utrecht (NL)
             Performance ‘The secret performance II’, De Apotheek, Amsterdam (NL)
             Performance ‘The Horseday performance I’, SecondRoom Antwerpen, Antwerpen (BE)
             Solo exhibition ‘Horseday’, SecondRoom Antwerpen, Antwerpen (BE)
             Group exhibition ‘Buy My Darlings’, NDSM Fuse, Amsterdam (NL) 
2022     Jam session, MAGIC, Project Nieuw en Meer, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Performance with JD and Tracy, Garden of Stars III, The Hague (NL) 
             Performance with Ambre Solaire, Jazzcafe Dizzy, Rotterdam (NL) 
             Performance ‘The secret performance I’, Het Hem//2Walls, Zaandam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Limburg Biënnale 2#’, Marres Maastricht (NL) 
             Solo exhibition ‘Amor(ph) II’, Het HEM, 2Walls//, Zaandam (NL) 
             Performance with Ambre Solaire, W139, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Fundraiser/tentoonstelling ‘Milk is Murder’ with Gijsje Heemskerk en Shani Leseman, W139, Amsterdam (NL)
2021     Solo exhibition ‘Tuned in Melodies II’, Atelier Oh Nee, The Hague (NL)
             Solo exhibition ‘Tuned in Melodies I’, Art Bar Kippy, Amsterdam (NL)
             Group exhibition ‘Fashionclash’, In collaboration with SKHSS, Maastricht (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Rite de Passage / Home Fountain Special’, Rotterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘The Hague Koninginnedag expositie’, Hgtomi Rosa, The Hague (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Tiny Art Gallery II’, The Hague (NL) 
2020     Performance ‘Toe, val’, Frascati, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Performance ‘Amor(ph) I’, DYAD, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Duo exhibition with Toto Stoffels, Like me Like this, DYAD, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Garden of Stars’, in collaboration with Bas Kaufmann, The Hague (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Murf/Murw in de H.U.T.’, Theater De Nieuwe Vorst, Tilburg (NL) 
2019     Performance with Ambre Solaire, Submarine Festival, Grey Space in The Middle, The Hague (NL) 
             Performance with Ambre Solaire, Itchy Tongue Royal Music Festival, De Besturing, The Hague (NL) 
             Performance ‘Hermit Kingdom’, Likeminds Bedankt! theatre festival, De VerbroerderIJ, Amsterdam (NL)
             Group exhibition ‘Murf/Murw I’, Pand P, Eindhoven (NL) 
             Graduation show ‘Period Pride’, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Push it to the limit’, Melkweg Gallery, Amsterdam (NL) 
2018     Performance ‘Technostress performance’, WORM, New year new me, Rotterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Stray Dogs Walk the Red Carpet’, Sexyland, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘What about a group portrait’, Nutshuis, The Hague (NL) 
2017     Group exhibition ‘Second hand’, Franse Vaart, Ghent (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Second hand’, Second hand shop Bruse Poort, Ghent (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Een kleptomaan neemt de dingen letterlijk’, KASK / School of Arts Ghent, Ghent (BE) 
             Solo exhibition ‘Rust en onrust / Dag van de filosofie’, Zwarte Zaal KASK, Ghent (BE) 
2016     Group exhibition ‘Fabulous Failures’, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Baobab magazine’, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (NL) 
             Solo exhibition ‘Men from the hotel’, Studio K, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition, Eastern Neighbours Film Festival (ENFF), Filmhouse The Hague, The Hague (NL) 
             Group exhibition, ‘Stray Dogs Walk the Red Carpet’, Akademija Likovnih Umjetnosti, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) 
2015     Group exhibition, Revival of captured scènes, Arti Et Amicea, Amsterdam (NL) 
             Group exhibition ‘Breaking Walls festival’, Amsterdam (NL) 
2014     Group exhibition ‘The king and I’, Theater aan het Spui, The Hague (NL) 
             Solo exhibition, Atelier Oosterbosch, Amsterdam (NL)      
             Group exhibition, Rozentheater, Amsterdam (NL)

Campaigns
2024      Camiel Fortgens AW25, Amsterdam (NL)  

Editorials 
2025     Editorial, Sensitive Content Magazine Vol.5 (USA) 
2024     Editorial, BOOT Magazine, issue 002 (ENG)  
2024     Publication Campaign Camiel Fortgens AW24, GRIND MAGAZINE (JP)
2024     Editorial, King Kong magazine issue 17 (UK)
2023     Editorial, King Kong magazine issue 15 (UK)

Commissions 
2023     Press work, Unemployed Air Hostesses, Kitty Maria (NL) and Elise Ehry (FR)
2022     Press work, Portraits for Jan Dirk Adams and Dimitri van den Wittenboer 
2022     Press work, Simon Keizer 'What business have I in the woods, if I am thinking of something out of the woods' 
2022     Lookbook, Lotte de Jager, Rietveld graduation show, Centrale Markthal 
2021     BTC fashion reportage, Ninamounah, , Amsterdam
2021     Press work, Avé Eva 
2020     Poster campaign, Majon the Mountainclimber 
2020     Law firm Allen and Overy, Art photography
2020     Likeminds, Portraits, Amsterdam
2018     Video, Jon, Ton and the Paperthief, Het Nutshuis, The Hague 
2017     De Correspondent, ‘Deelfietsen veroorzaken nu veel overlast in grote steden. Zo kan het wél’ 
2016     Circusbende, Amsterdam 
2016     Album cover, Bring you back, Eleonor Coco 
2015     De Condomerie, Amsterdam
2015     Stoere Vrouwen, My ntural Beautycase, Amsterdam
2009     Het Rozentheater, Amsterdam

Publications
2024    Pigeon Publication + Lauch at Page Not Found, The Hague (NL) 
2024    Yes The Void, Online feature (NL) 
2022     Frute N7 magagzine (IT) 
2021     Fashion reportage Ninamounah BTC, Glamcult (NL)
2021     Wxtch Craft zine, edition II (NL) 
2021     Murf Murfw magazine (NL) 
2021     Cherryboy magazine, online feature (ENG) 
2018     Murf Murfw magazine (NL) 
2017     4 Magazine textile and fashion department (NL) 
2017     Baobab magazine (NL) 
2016     Stray dogs walk the red carpet (NL) 
2015     Survival Guide of the Royal Academy of Art and the Royal Conservatoire (NL) 
2014     Banter Magazine, 'This is not a travel guide' (NL) 

Selfpublished / editions 
2023     Postcard edition Sunflower Shower, published by SecondROOM Antwerpen 
2023     Horseday Sticker Edition + Horseday notes 
2023     Horsepower Elixir 
2022     Milk is Murder, Magazine, in collaboration with Shani Leseman and Gijsje Heemskerk
2021     Poster edition, (My) Bonnie came over from Poland, 2021 
2019     Thesis, Short stops 
2019     Poster, Period Pride 
2017     Photo publication, Technostress
2016     Photo publication, The Wedding Book

Talks / presentations
2025      Workshop, 'My Secret Garden', Academy of Fine Arts Nuremberg (DE)
2025      Artist talk, Academy of Fine Arts Nuremberg (DE)
2025      Movie night / film screening with Moderator Eva Langerak, Melkweg Cinema, Amsterdam (NL)
2024      Artist tour, Photogaphy students KABK, ‘Prospects’ / Art Rotterdam, Van Nelle Fabriek, Rotterdam (NL) 
2023      Artist talk, Kunstliefde, Group show Hazy Horizons, Utrecht (NL) 


Recedencies
2023     Performing Arts Forum, Reims (FR) 
2020     Stichting de Vrolijkheid, Amsterdam (NL)
2017     Self initiated residency in second hand shop Brugse Poort, Ghent (BE) 
2017     Summerschool, Het Vijfde Seizoen, Den Dolder (NL) 

Collections
Pro Brutus Collection
Various private collections

Teaching
2023    Tiener Nova College, photo workshops, Dordrecht (NL) 
2020     Vinse School, photo workshop 'My (Secret) Garden', Amsterdam (NL) 
2022     Portfolio reviews KABK, The Hague (NL)
2019     Jurylid Cultuurschakel, The Hague (NL) 

Grants
2024    Kunstenaar Project, Mondriaan Fund
2024    Voucher Development, Mondriaan Fund
2024     Kunstenaar Project, Mondriaan Fund
2023     Stipendium for Emerging Artists, Mondriaan Fund 
2023     U! festival