SCRIPT TEASE: Interview with Margreet de Heer
Talkin' about burlesque and comics
This is my favorite series to post on Substack. Please enjoy my conversation with the very sweet Margreet.
EERIE: Before we begin - would you please describe yourself and your work?
MARGREET: Um... no.
I’ve recently discovered (see:
that it is impossible to
describe myself and my work. In the 53 years that I’ve lived I’ve just
done too many different things. Well okay: comics, that’s a big
constant. I make comics. In so many genres it’s impossible to put one
label on it. I was the first Comic Artist Laureate of The Netherlands,
probably because of my all-roundness. But I half-live in Germany now, so
location does not describe me either.
Comics, then. I am comics and my work is comics. Will that do? :)
EERIE: As a burlesque dancer, I often ask in these interviews the question
“Is there a moment in your cartooning that felt like a striptease?” But, I think you actually did a strip strip! Can you tell me more about that?
MARGREET: I think you’re referring to the strip-strip of Minnie
- but I’ve actually
literally stripped for my cartooning during my very first crowdfunding
campaign in 2020. It was a hoot! I did a photo session with the very
talented Martin Draax and this resulted in a bunch of nude pics (which I
called Blotos - from the word “bloot” which means “nude” in Dutch). I
then asked fellow artists to draw over them with their own creations.
This became a lovely set of 24 photos which sold really well during the
campaign. Needless to say, I’ve always been quite the exhibitionist,
both literally and figuratively in my autobiographical comics. The most
recent comic in which I felt I was exposing myself was about my
experience with sex worker Zina, in which I drew myself (and her) naked.
(
EERIE: When creating an intimate scene, whether it be sexual or
philosophical, how do you decide how much to show and how much to leave
to the imagination?
MARGREET: Good question! I think I do that kind of intuitvely. I try to be mindful
of what message I try to convey exactly with a particular comic. The
nudity and intimacy follows that directive: sometimes it serves the
comic to bare it all, and sometimes it’s better to leave it implied.
EERIE: Speaking of philosophy, what is something that you learned about
human nature by writing about sex that you didn’t learn by writing about
philosophy?
MARGREET: Um... another great question! I have to think on that one... I guess
it’s something about the importance of levity. And authenticity. Even
though we live in times that are more prudish than the decades before,
I’ve found that I get only positive responses to my comics about sex.
I’ve had no hate mail about them, only people writing nice things. I
credit that my being totally open about it and presenting sex as
something totally natural and fun. I don’t present it as something
that’s up for discussion, it’s just my experience. What I learned about
human nature is that people (in my bubble at least) respond surprisingly
positive to that, even if they live totally different lives than me.
EERIE: From what I understand, The Netherlands has a culture that is more
open to sexuality. How has this shaped your work? And how do you deal
with censorship?
MARGREET: Yes, The Netherlands has historically had a very practical approach to
for instance sex work, which is legal over here. I grew up in the
seventies and eighties, on the feminist wave, and have always felt I
“owned” my sexuality. There was little slut-shaming in my rowdy youth
and therefore that carries through in my work. My comic character Minnie
is pretty promiscuous for instance, and this is mostly celebrated
(although her girlfriend gets annoyed sometimes).
I have encountered censorship only online, on platforms that started
applying stricter rules. Oh and yes, one time in real life, when I was
printing my Blotos and the printer gave back the order - they turned out
to be rather strict Christians and I guess all the nudity was just a
little too much for them... I was not too bothered by it. As long as I
get to post and print my stuff somewhere, I’m fine.
EERIE: In my burlesque acts I love to blend in some humor! Would you agree with
me that laughter and eroticism are dancer partners? How do you blend the
two?
MARGREET: I absolutely agree! I blend the two by making my more sexy Minnie comics as funny as possible.
EERIE: If your character, Minnie, was up on the burlesque stage what song
would she dance to? Any props? Feathers, giant martini glass, a whip
perhaps?
MARGREET: Oooh, Minnie would be so down for a burlesque act! I think if you asked
her today she would perform as a drag king to the song ‘I’m too sexy’ by
Right Said Fred. In a very cool tailored suit that gets slowly peeled
off, on the catwalk, on the catwalk yeah. (with a stuffed cat as a prop)
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