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Ciska Mei

Language while , Media , LGBTIQ+ , Gender , Sound , movie , Documentary , Diversity , Conceptual , Community , Autobiographical , Audiovisual , Artistic research , Analytical

Whether it is in film or art, Ciska's work is characterized by the incessant need to challenge the conventions and implications of the genre and medium they work with in. Because they deem it necessary to center critical (self-)reflection in their approach, they are not necessarily interested in working towards a perfectly pre-conceptualized end-proudct, but rather concern themselves with working through questions so complex, they beg to be left untouched. Thematically they often set out to explore interpersonal, analytical or philosophical paradoxes, rarely coming to incontestable conclusions. At the core of this practice is an ambition to build earnest, trusting and curious relationships with the people they work with, in front of– and behind the camera.

Their study of Audiovisual Design at the art academy of Rotterdam, their minor in Philosophy at the Free University of Amsterdam and work as a freelancer in the cultural sector have shaped them to become a curious, analytical and critical filmmaker and artist.

The Ozard
The Ozard (2025) During rehearsals for the youth show "The Ozard of Wiz," the creators travel side by side along the yellow brick road, on their way to a queer utopia under the spotlight. Marie Lea, Romy, Art, and René look back to a time when they could play freely as children, without judgment. When did shame enter the stage—and how did they rid themselves of this uninvited presence? One moment you're Glinda the Good Witch, wearing your mother's bathrobe as a dress, enchanting the empty living room with your magic. The next, the door swings open, and all sorts of judgments about boys in dresses or princesses without a prince rush in. Your dress is nothing more than terrycloth, and your magic wand turns out to be just a remote control. The magic evaporates, the house lights come on, and reality mercilessly pierces the illusion of freedom. In "The Ozard," we delve into the rehearsal process of a queer reinterpretation of the classic "The Wizard of Oz." The creators turn their familiar reality inside out and build on stage the world they so longed to inhabit as children. Stories allow us to dream of other worlds, but are also the first step towards them: what you can imagine, you can also make real. Director René watched The Wiz video endlessly as a nine-year-old, Marie-Lea secretly balanced on her mother's heels, Romy became fascinated by a trans man in a denim suit, and Art knew every dance move from Britney Spears' videos. What begins as carefree play abruptly shifts when you tell a classmate he would "beat up" a gay man if he met one. The realization that the clothes you choose or the person you secretly have a crush on says something about you—and that judgment can easily follow—caused René, Marie-Lea, Art, and Romy to take on the role of a hetero- and cis-normative life. That role felt safer, but it was far from home. Fortunately, it turned out not to be "the role of a lifetime." With 'The Ozard,' the actors create space for a world where shame no longer holds them back. The "Tin Man" does have a heart—just not for women. The "Scarecrow" has a mind—but was too often told his beliefs about himself were wrong. And the "Lion" finds his courage not by becoming someone else, but by daring to be himself. The documentary 'The Ozard' has been selected for the Debut Competition of the Netherlands Film Festival 2025.
A Place Where Reality Lies (2022) - Documentaire - When making documentaries, we sometimes get caught up in the truth. Even though we might like it, documentaries are not objective windows on reality, they are interpretations of it. It's not that we want to lie, it just happens. Because the closer you try to get to the truth with a recording device, the more it distorts. 'A Place Where Reality Lies' is a dog chasing its own tail: a documentary in which I, a director, investigate how other documentary makers go about depicting reality.
MaMA: The Dysfunctional Family (2021) - Documentaire - 'MaMA: The Dysfunctional Family' tells the intimate story of one of Rotterdam's most stubborn creative communities. The documentary, directed by Ciska Meister, is a journey through time and examines how the meaning of MAMA for the city of Rotterdam has changed over the past 23 years. From 2021, those involved look back and forward, and through candid stories it becomes clear that MAMA is more than just a physical space. It is a family feeling, a philosophy of life, a universe in itself.
Photographic Tribute to Paula Breuers: Fuck! Wheres all my homies? (2020) - Paper mache mask as part of photographic tribute to Paula Breuer's work: Fuck! Where's all my homies?
A Euphoric Sensation (2019) - A Euphoric Sensation is a 2-channel video installation, developed by Ernest Wereko and Ciska Mei. The installation is playful exploration (and in part a critique) of the ways in which language is used to describe the visual arts.

Residentie JOYA: AiR - 2025

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Location: JOYA AiR - Spanje

Podcast - Gallery Noise

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Location: Operator Radio

Gallery Noise is a radio show in which Cecile engages in a sound-inspired conversation with Rotterdam artists and makers. In the second edition Cecile speaks to Ciska Mei, an artist and filmmaker, with a focus on documentary and essayistic video work, as well as performance. In their work, they often depart from paradoxes, for example by challenging the implications of the genre they work within. In recent times, they have been especially interested in exploring forms of non-story-telling; an ambition

https://beta.operator-radio.com/archive/gallery-noise-02-w-ciska-mei

Performace - Roze Bubbel

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Garage Cafe 2.2

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Location: Garage Rotterdam

At Garage Cafe 2.2, I presented my current research and video work (in process) HUM•BUG.

Residentie JOYA: AiR - 2023

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In May 2023, I took part in a 2-week residency at JOYA: AiR, where I started working on a new video work.

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