Instagram story viewer> @covertcollective.ams> Posts

Covert Collective

@covertcollective.ams

224

followers

52

following

Art Gallery | Creative Community
(Previously at Singel 190, now open for a new space)

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

A beginning and an ending often start at the same point 🔃

And sometimes these separate stories overlap for longer than we want, but for exactly the amount of time needed to both grieve and rejoice… however painful it may be.

In this story, over the course of one week of events hosted at @covertcollective.ams, we mourned the loss of old love while celebrating the arrival of the new. We danced, we laughed, we cried, we worked insanely hard to pull this off and we curated a space for creativity, connection, and authenticity, surrounded by art - wearable or hanging.

A new collection from @amstel_bleach surrounded by a new series of artwork that Alex created using vintage denim sewn into canvas by @blazinbell and bleached by @rabinasty.

We were supported by magical creators. From live music by @semkramer_ and @floris.kolner (the sound in this brilliant video) to the footage captured by legendary @aaldrikb_ . We hosted a panel talk together with @su.privat and we heard music from many badass DJs (@jerrod_e seen in this video).

@rabinasty organized an upcycling workshop, @nico.daydreams and @carmensantana_ led a high tea and @kamiwaza_festival takeover, @selfpower_project led a gorgeous sound healing…

It was wild.
Profound.
Playful.
Professional.
Yet layered with all the divine messiness of what it is to be an artist.

We had it all. And we thank you to every one of the hundreds of people who came through to support and witness and co-create the magic.

For now, this chapter has closed, but stay tuned for whatever we cook up next. We need a few rest days but rest assured, something is brewing ☕️

With love,
Alex + Anastasiya by @covertcollective.ams

88

8

a year ago

“Emotions in Motion,” the upcoming exhibition at Covert Collective - a selection of paintings by @_marianne_elena on view from Friday May 30th through Sunday June 1st (see timing below).

Marianne Elena is a French painter based in Amsterdam. Influenced by her background in graphic design, cinema, and theater, her work explores emotions through a dreamlike and spiritual lens. Her paintings center on women and nature, recurring themes that embody strength, resilience and sensitivity.

Drawing inspiration from the living world, she uses symbolic imagery—such as roots, branches, and the elements—to evoke the invisible. Water, for example, symbolizes healing and release. Her visual language creates emotional landscapes where body, spirit, and nature intertwine.

Marianne’s art reflects an inner journey. She seeks to connect personal emotion with the viewer’s experience, creating a soul-to-soul dialogue through her work.

Friday May 30th 17:00 - 21:00
Saturday May 31st 11:00 - 19:00
Sunday June 1st 11:00 - 19:00

Singel 190 (Amsterdam Center) by @covertcollective.ams

38

5

a year ago

This is more than a gallery… it’s a movement.

A creative community growing, expanding, learning, sharing, and playing together. We’re taking the rules and flipping them - giving the space and exposure to artists who are completely underserved by traditional gallery representation.

Our first four exhibitions are first-time solo shows by female artists. We’re building out the community by hosting collaborative and co-creation jams. And it’s just the beginning, so get ready 🌱

This authentic moment of play was shot and edited by our in-house music and film magician, @sorendamusic. It was a lovely evening of collaboration with @elinorshapiro, @pebblesceramicwares, @nadiainnocentia, @annababelva, and @semkramer_ with lighting magic by @hedoneye. by @covertcollective.ams

49

4

a year ago

‘This is Whimsy,’ a solo exhibition by @maya.sierra opens next week at Covert Collective (Singel 190).

Friday April 18 - Sunday April 20 from 15:00 - 22:00

Maya Sierra is an oil painter and mixed media artist. Her paintings are a celebration of imagination and self-reflection, designed to inspire viewers to explore their own consciousness.

Her work captures the beauty and depth of human experiences while inviting transformation and introspection.

Using the Mischtechnik, a Renaissance method renowned for its luminous, layered effects, Maya creates artworks that merge traditional craftsmanship with contemporary themes. Rooted in the principles of visionary art, her pieces explore transcendence, harmony, and diversity, offering a profound journey into the complexities of existence.

Through her work, Maya seeks to inspire others to find their own creative path, using visual art as a medium for self-expression, healing, and discovery. Her art serves as an invitation to engage with the transformative power of creativity and uncover new ways of seeing the world.

It’s an honor to welcome her into our space 🌱 taken in Amsterdam, Netherlands by @covertcollective.ams

69

8

2 years ago

Something exciting is coming…

In three weeks (April 4 - 6), we are hosting the brilliant @beatakovacsart at Covert Collective for her first solo exhibition.

Mark your calendars!

Vernissage on Friday April 4th from 18:00 - 21:00 (please RSVP here or to Beáta directly).

Saturday and Sunday open hours from 12:00 - 19:00.

Beáta is a Hungarian artist from Subotica Serbia, currently based in Purmerend, the Netherlands. Her practice is composed of pencil drawings through the method of surrealist-self portraiture. She uses herself as a model to fuse nature with the human body, exploring the deep connection between the self and the natural world. Through this surrealistic approach, she explores not only her own identity, but the ever-changing nature of existence. She creates a dream-like atmosphere, adding emotional depth to her work.

We are so excited to welcome this artist into our space and can’t wait to share her magic with you. taken in Singel by @covertcollective.ams

105

5

2 years ago

‘The End of the Beginning,’ an exhibition closing out the beginning of my career as an artist as I welcome the next chapter 🌱

It’s been a tumultuous and wild ride, but the theme that keeps returning is that I have to believe in myself, again and again, even when things don’t seem to work.

Earlier this year I had a solo exhibition in Utrecht. It was objectively my best show yet and hung for two months in a gorgeous and high traffic location . Not only did I not sell a single piece, but relatively few people came and I didn’t even gain a single new follower across the entire exhibition (not the goal, but as a way of showing that the exhibition didn’t manage to connect with new people). In a way, it seemed almost nothing came from this show and, walking away from it, I felt more doubt within myself than ever before.

“No one cares what I’m doing. My work doesn’t matter. It isn’t good enough. I’m not a real artist.”

I painted a lot less after this show, letting the self doubt get the better of me more than I wanted it to.

But! I also didn’t stop painting. I kept creating, even if at a slower pace, and then I hosted this show at my new gallery space, Covert Collective.

And that felt amazing. Over 80 people came to support across the weekend, three paintings sold, along with countless sculptures and drawings. I wrote and performed a song. I cried, along with several lovely humans who joined and witnessed. It was vulnerable and honest and scary as hell and glorious. And it came after a show I would consider to be a “failure.”

But it wasn’t a failure at all, because it challenged me and I kept going. And now I feel stronger than before, and that’s a big win in my book.

So, if you’re following a creative path that feels more joyful than not (working as an artist is certainly not always fun), don’t succumb to that inner critic attempting to fill you with doubt. The doubt can be there, but the will to create is stronger.

I just need to remember believe in myself.

Xo,
Alex taken in Amsterdam, Netherlands by @covertcollective.ams

100

14

2 years ago

The biggest project of my life 🌱

Last weekend marked the opening of @covertcollective.ams, an art gallery and creative community space in the heart of Amsterdam.

I launched the space with a solo exhibition and was blown away by the love and support I received. To everyone who came - thank you. To those of you who couldn’t make it but have been by my side these past few months - thank you.

I am so overwhelmed with gratitude and cannot wait to see how this space develops.

I’m currently making a program for 2025 to welcome other artists to exhibit, so let me know if you’re interested and we can plan a coffee in January.

Until then, I wish you a very happy holiday week.

With love,
Alex taken in Singel by @covertcollective.ams

93

6

2 years ago

Pfft, what an ending 🌱

This weekend I officially opened @covertcollective.ams with a solo show titled ‘The End of the Beginning.’

What was ending? The beginning of my career as an artist, my twenties, the naive confidence I’ve carried the past ten years, my reliance on the identity of ‘struggling artist,’ the way I’ve let my fears stop me from singing and sharing my art even more vulnerably…

It was one hell of a weekend.

And after a solo show earlier this year where nothing sold, I felt so supported when several paintings and drawings found new forever homes.

A beautiful reminder that these things take time and that building something takes trust. There will be setbacks and moments I don’t feel seen, but they will balance out with weekends like this past one, where I feel so seen and supported and loved and connected to something much bigger than me.

Thanks to @ishataus for taking this cute video of me at the very last moment of the show, just before @pyd.piper abducted me to an epic party (hence the outfit - not what i wore all weekend haha).

If you came to support me this weekend - thank you. I feel humbled and blessed to be surrounded by such a beautiful community.

With love,
Alex by @covertcollective.ams

105

20

2 years ago

24

3

2 years ago