Portfolio - Painted Drawings

Artist’s Commentary

Zelfspot is a Dutch word of which the literal translation is self-mockery. Self-mockery in Britain has generally got a negative association. The Dutch however consider having zelfspot a positive character trait. Someone who can mock himself by acknowledging their own flaw; while he is not only showing a sense of self-awareness, he also exposes a vulnerability or a weakness that he lies bare in front of you, he invites openness. Having zelfspot shows a strength of character.

These painting installations consist of Japanese ink and red yarn. In places the paper is torn, has rough edges, discolouration and finger prints. Yet the hart is in the right place; the mark-making has unity, balance and rhythm, is fresh, spontaneous and of high-quality.

The red yarn symbolises a Dutch saying – de rode draad van het leven (the red thread of life) and refers to a theme reoccurring or a common thread running through someone’s life. The red thread comes from a story in Greek mythology: The Minotaur and the Labyrinth. One of the boys sacrificed to the Minotaur, Theseus, brings red yarn into a maze, so that he can find his way out after he has slayed the Minotaur. One of the morals of the story is that fighting battles isn’t necessarily the hard part, it’s about finding the right path, and also how we can follow the path we took to understand better ways to master change.

This body of work is highly personal in a multitude of way, and was developed in collaboration with choreographer Imogene Newland and sound artist Suk-Jun Kim funded by CityMoves Northeast Dance Agency and Creative Scotland.