Corona-Stories | Tranquil City 08 Print

Have you ever realized how remarkable it is that we can read? What we see are simply a series of marks on paper, yet these marks carry meanings that we have learned to understand over time. It’s fascinating that by looking at these marks, we can experience a world of feelings and emotions. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by letters. To me, they are not just symbols, but beautifully crafted shapes. What I find most intriguing is that we no longer truly notice these forms once we learn to read. We are immediately swept away into the world that the letters open up for us. This fascination with letters and the way text and image come together in my mind is the foundation of my work. I aim to show how text and image complement each other and form a symbiotic relationship. I do this by creating paintings that weave text and image together, using gold and silver leaf that reflect light in various ways. This makes the painting come alive, creating a dynamic quality that changes depending on the light. I originally trained as a graphic designer. During my studies at the St. Joost Art Academy in Breda, I started my own design studio. Even then, my fascination with letters and the interplay between text and image played a central role in my work. However, I now want to create art that is much closer to my own personal experience. That is why, since 2020, I have been working full-time as a professional artist. My work has been displayed at institutions such as the Scryption Museum in Tilburg and the Meermanno Museum in The Hague. Recently, I had the honor of being invited to show my work at the Flower Art Museum in Aalsmeer. During the pandemic, when everything moved online, an art curator from India discovered my work on Instagram. He was immediately struck by one of my paintings, which led to invitations to exhibit my work at several art events in India. Shortly thereafter, I was approached by Singulart, a prestigious online gallery based in Paris. My work even inspired a composer and pianist in New York to create a unique musical piece. Since then, I have exhibited in Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. I was also contacted by Artoui, a gallery in Munich, both online and offline. As a result, my work is now part of private collections in Europe, the U.S., and beyond.