It was my first time inside The Bodega, and it didn’t take long to clock what kind of venue this…
By K Futur MusicFrom 1st August to 14th September 2025, Dubrek Studios on Bridge Street, Derby, plays host to A New Landscape, an extraordinary exhibition by rising local artist Venus Behjati. Known for her surreal, body-centred visual narratives, Behjati’s latest work invites viewers into a world of hybrid beings — a mysterious terrain populated by human-animal-plant assemblages that question traditional representations of femininity, nature and form.
A highlight of the exhibition calendar is the special opening event on Friday 8th August at 7pm, which promises a unique evening of live performance art. Venus will be creating artwork live, accompanied by an improvised soundscape composed in real-time by a group of experimental musicians. The performance fuses painting and sound in a raw, collaborative format that captures the spirit of Venus’s vision — an exploration of the sacred and the strange, the real and the imagined.
Speaking of the exhibition, Venus says: “This ‘New Landscape’ is inhabited by hybrid creatures, human-animal-plant assemblages bearing unexpected anatomical forms. This unsettling ambiguity emphasises the sacredness and mystery of the female body, exploring the duality of women’s perceptions: revered as life-givers yet historically stigmatised.”
Working out of Banks Mill Studios, Behjati has quickly become one of Derby’s most talked-about emerging artists. Winner of the 2024 Student Residency Award, she is ensuring her work is seen and felt across the city. A New Landscape offers a window into a distinct artistic language, rich in symbolism, rooted in both nature and the body.
This exhibition also serves as a prelude to her highly anticipated MA Degree Show in September, offering audiences an early glimpse into her evolving visual style and conceptual focus. For those interested in contemporary art, performance, and gender discourse, this is not an event to miss.
Dubrek Studios, with its history of supporting creative crossovers between music and art, is the perfect venue for this daring show. Visitors can expect an immersive, thought-provoking experience that blends visual and sonic experimentation.
Whether you’re a seasoned art lover or simply curious, Venus Behjati’s A New Landscape exhibition is a bold addition to Derby’s summer cultural calendar — and a powerful reminder of the role of emerging voices in shaping our creative future.
