The selection of: Life Cipher

Life Cipher selects and curates

Without a set plan, the talent collective Life Cipher chose artworks from the SCHUNCK collection that largely focus on Heerlen (HRLN). It perhaps started with the work of Heerlen photographer Dean Kisters, which was an immediate ‘done deal’ — both because of the image itself (there’s nothing wrong with a middle finger now and then) and especially because Kisters is 'one of us'. It can be that simple.

While viewing and selecting works in the art depots, more and more art appeared that reflected the character of the city. Life Cipher felt the Glaspaleis could not be without the painting SCHUNCK, Portrait of Frits Peutz by Fons Haagmans. The photos by Alexander Basile and the work by Chris Johanson, which features the skate scene, as well as artworks referencing the graffiti scene, reveal some of Heerlen’s rough edges. This is the HRLN that Life Cipher identifies with — it’s about what the city does for you, culture, and certainly about hip-hop culture.

About The selection of

At SCHUNCK’s Art Depot, local voices take the lead: several times a year, SCHUNCK invites someone connected to Heerlen or Parkstad to make a personal selection from the art collection. Now it’s the turn of the talent collective Life Cipher! Life Cipher is a collaboration between hip-hop platform Kool Cult and SCHUNCK Museum, coaching talented young people in breakdance, street art, photography and film, fashion, and music to develop their skills professionally.