5 Decades of de Appel: Film Screening & Panel Discussion

In brief

The day begins at CC Amstel with the screening of Final Cut, a film about censorship based on various moments from the history of de Appel. This is followed by a panel discussion and drinks at de Appel to close our current exhibition, Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie 2026: Class Hegemony in Contemporary Art.

About Final Cut (2026)

Final Cut reveals the truth behind Body Art, a controversial Dutch TV programme that was recorded in 1975 and was the brainchild of cultural critic Simon Mari Pruys (1927-1980). The programme featured Thomas Lips, an intense performance by artist Marina Abramović. The performance was filmed at de Appel in 1975. The TV programme was never broadcast. It was censored and banned from broadcast forever. Filmmaker Joeri Pruys, son of Simon Mari Pruys, gives us a personal look into this controversial part of art history and goes in search of the lost footage. Along the way, he speaks with newer generations of outspoken artists and curators. Because fifty years later, they are still struggling with the same difficulties in dealing with large cultural institutions, ranging from deliberate misunderstanding to outright censorship.

Programme

Programme at CC Amstel (Cullinanplein 1, near de Appel)

14:45: Doors open

15:00–15:15 Welcome

15:15–16:45 Screening of Final Cut

16:45–17:00 Break

17:00–17:30 Q&A with Joeri Pruys and Basma Al-Sharif, moderated by Ilga Minjon

17:30–18:30 Panel discussion with Jack Segbars, Falke Pisano and Marco Baravalle

Programme at de Appel

18:30–20:00 Drinks and closing of the exhibition Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie 2026: Class Hegemony in Contemporary Art