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On Saturday, September 9th, and Sunday, September 10th, 2023, I held an exhibition at the SooS titled ‘Global Village.’ In this exhibition, I displayed twelve canvas works created around the theme of village life in times of globalization. In this exhibition, I consistently juxtaposed two paintings: one depicting the perspective from within and the other offering an external perspective. You can read about my exhibition in the news on WeertDeGekste. Following this physical exhibition, I decided to make the series digitally accessible for those who couldn’t attend in person and other interested individuals. Below, you’ll find the six themes, each accompanied by two works, along with the texts that were also displayed in the physical exhibition space. I hope you enjoy exploring them.

Borders

Borders are imaginary; they are an expression of our collective imagination. A border exists on paper, through symbols, and in our language. They have a significant impact on our perception of the world. These two works are based on the aerial view of Europe and Tungelroy, respectively. Both paintings explore the relationship between abstract borders, memory, and meaning.

The Abstract Concept of Europe

‘The abstract concept of Europe’ was created immediately after my Erasmus experience in Glasgow. The style was inspired by Kandinsky. The artwork was created with memories of the Erasmus period in mind. Not only my personal life, such as relationships and friendships that were formed and experienced during that time but also the context in which the Erasmus period took place, inspired me to create an abstract visualization of my four months abroad. It was the period when the United Kingdom officially left the European Union. The work is abstract because the whole idea of Europe, the European Union, and European identity is abstract.

Created: 2020

Materials: Acrylic

Dimensions: 60 x 80 cm

Memories

‘Memories’ is inspired by my hometown, Tungelroy. In a surreal manner, this work connects memories from my youth with their geographical locations. Nights out, fanfare rehearsals, walks, bike rides—they all find their place in this painting. The village is layered in time, where history and the present intersect. This gives the painting its depth.

Created: 2022

Materials: Acrylic, Oil paint

Dimensions: 60 x 80 cm

Monuments

A village is recognizable by its mill, church tower, school, playgrounds, and parks. Buildings form the core of a residential area and reveal the structure of a village. In Tungelroy, the church tower still dominates the streetscape. The church follows the Christian feasts season after season. Birth, love, and death follow one another. There’s something natural about this cyclical life but beware. The walls have eyes, and people ask questions. It’s not mentally easy to be ‘different’ when everything is supposed to follow its supposed natural course.

Tranquility

‘Tranquility’ represents the calm and peace that the village offers. The feeling of safety. You know what to expect. You stand in the middle of nature and follow the historical path laid out by the community. Traditions are beautiful and should be preserved. The village offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Village life is a dream.

Created: 2022

Materials: Acrylic, Oil paint

Dimensions: 40 x 30 cm

Skyline T-Roy

‘Skyline T-Roy’ questions the natural cyclical thinking. The work follows the weather cycle from left to right, from good to bad. During this journey, the viewer encounters financial pressure, time pressure, the pressure of traditions, and the pressure of the village community.

Created: 2023

Materials: Acrylic, Oil paint

Dimensions: 120 x 30 cm

The circle of life

Is a closed ring

The ring is ticking

Like an index finger

The finger of the neighbour

Points at the concrete wall

The walls have ears

And the houses have eyes

The working-class hero

The passing of the year

The couch in front of the TV

Are you really here?

Humans

Creating a portrait of a person is difficult. If you create a photorealistic portrait, you miss the nuances and inner beauty. If you create an abstract portrait, no one sees the body language and appearance. Nevertheless, within this series, I opted for the abstract option. These two portraits symbolize two people from my village. On one side, a true Limburg Lady, who is rooted in the existing customs and traditions of the village. On the other hand, a true global citizen, who is open to self-examination and reinvention.

MK

‘MK’ symbolizes a genuine Limburg Maedje. Like the Tungelroyse Beek, she is inseparably connected to the place. The village is an integral part of her, and she is an integral part of the village. Without one, the other would lose its meaning.

Created: 2023

Materials: Acrylic, Oil paint

Dimensions: 120 x 90 cm

KH

‘KH’ represents an artistic open personality. Adventure, exploration, and openness are keywords in her life. She ventures out from time to time to enrich the village with her new knowledge and ideas.

Created: 2022

Materials: Acrylic, Oil paint

Dimensions: 120 x 90 cm

Language

Language says something about who you are and how you want to present yourself. Thus, language is an important carrier of identity. Limburgers see the Limburgish language and expressions as something unique, and in a way, it is. Every locality has its own variations in dialect. Dich, diech, du: you can hear it all here. The use of language and the social meanings of language exist worldwide. Everyone uses language to set themselves apart from others and join a specific group. These languages together form the languages of the world. Together, we are the world.

Limburgs

‘Limburgs’ is a layered mixed-media work. In a self-made alphabet inspired by melodic musical notes, you can read a decade’s worth of quotes from my good Limburgish friends. Maps of linguistic research on Limburgish dominate the work. Two centuries ago, Limburgish was not seen as a language. During that time, scientists and historians actively worked to give the province its language and identity. This eventually gave rise to our complex Limburgish identity. And the fish? That’s the Limburgish language, swimming between Dutch, German, and French.

Created: 2023

Materials: Print, Oil paint

Dimensions: 50 x 50 cm

Languages

‘Languages’ is a mixed-media work created using AI, Photoshop, oil paint, and, most importantly, quotes from friends and acquaintances from all over the world. For this work, I asked more than fifty people to send in their favourite sayings and quotes. Afrikaans, Arabic, Russian, Norwegian, Hindi—it’s all there. Together, we form the water in which all languages can swim. Together, we are the languages of the world.

Created: 2023

Materials: Print, Marker, Oil paint

Dimensions: 50 x 50 cm

Carnaval

Limburgers look forward to it all year: carnival. Fortunately, we have to wait less and less before we can celebrate the carnival. Nowadays, the entire year is filled with afterparties and summer carnivals. The Carnival tradition has historical roots, although modern celebrations are relatively new. It wasn’t until after World War II that Carnival evolved into what we know today. Nevertheless, we hold firmly to the traditions and customs that our grandparents devised. Why?

Prince Carnaval

‘Prince Carnaval’ is an abstract work that showcases the multiple facets of carnival. Everything is chaotic and wild, fun and musical. Everyone participates, and everyone can be who they want to be. During the carnival, the world turns upside down for a while. Isn’t that delightful!

Created: 2023

Materials: Oil paint

Dimensions: 40 x 30 cm

Princess Carnaval

‘Princess Carnaval’ is a work depicting an imaginary black Islamic woman wearing a carnival hat. The foundations of the Limburgish carnival stem from the Catholic tradition and the 19th-century Rhineland Carnival. Consequently, there was no place for non-Catholics and women for a long time. Nowadays, many associations are letting go of this mindset, and they view carnival as a celebration of the locality, of Limburg, and of the South. Nevertheless, we still see very few carnival princesses who reign alone. Should we hold on to our traditions?

Created: 2023

Materials: Oil paint

Dimensions: 40 x 30 cm

De Fight between Utopia and Nostalgia

This series of paintings consists of opposites: global or local, worldly or rural, chaos or tranquillity, conservative or progressive. In ‘The Struggle between Utopia and Nostalgia,’ I question this way of thinking. The work is based on ‘The Fight between Carnival and Lent’ by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, painted in 1559. Just like Carnival and Lent at that time, ideas about the past and future clash in our time. Utopia is a dream of the future, often accompanied by a deep-seated discontent with the present. Nostalgia is a feeling but also a carefully constructed image of what once was and will never return (or, in other words, a deep-seated discontent with the present). I would like to challenge the viewer to look beyond the struggle. It is, in fact, a struggle deeply rooted in our minds. But that struggle is an illusion. An illusion with profound consequences.

Created: 2023

Materials: Marker, Oil paint

Dimensions: 140 x 90 cm (2x 70 x 45 cm)

Conclusion

Thank you for visiting my online exhibition. If you have any questions, I am always available to answer them. You can find my contact information on the website.