Selfportrait as Venus of the rags

A long time ago, after a visit to the Kröller-Müller museum, my mother made me a miniature version of Michelangelo Pistoletto’s “Venus of the Rags” as "Sinterklaas surprise". This was because of the state my teenage bedroom was in.

As an adult, I am increasingly aware of the weight of my consumer behavior and the inevitable burden of what I leave behind. Yet I have to admit that I hardly change.

The fabric headdress wrinkles, frays and folds into a monument to overconsumption with the sequins and furs as echoes of lost value.
A monument to what I would like to let go of, but embrace again and again.

Unlike Pistoletto’s Venus, I do not avert my gaze, but force myself and the viewer to confrontation while I carry the burden of excess with me.

Charcoal and charcoal pencil on paper

70x60 cm (measurement unframed)

Selfportrait of Venus of the Rags is selected as finalist in the Dutch Portrait Prize 2025! Together with 49 top pieces from Dutch portrait art, this work was on display at Slot Zeist. It feels unreal that after Transformer in 2023 this is the second time in a row that my work has been selected as a finalist.

Selfportrat as Venus of the Rags is part of the online exposition of the Almenara Collection 2025

Selfportrait is currently on display in Galarie RRMND in Roermond.

Pressure

Large charcoal drawing created with charcoalpencil on heavyweight paper.

Selected for London Art Biennale 2023

Part of the online exposition of the Almenara Art Prize 2024.

Dimensions: 109x86 cm framed

Available for sale

Charcoal angels, available

Two figures, moving from their own unique perspective, seeking connection.

Movements that begin hesitantly gradually become more robust and merge into a shared language made of shapes in which both complement each other.

Charcoal drawing based on a children’s art project. Movements that started of hesitant, eventually synchronized and melted together in amazing drawings reminiscent of snow angels.

Charcoal angels (burnished charcoal, available)

Dimensions: 87x70 cm

framed

Available for sale

Transformer, private collection

Transformer; No longer a child, not yet an adult. Geared up and ready to deal with the challenges of the outside world.

For Transformer and Charcoal Angels I used a sanding technique to burnish the charcoal in heavy paper instead of just drawing on the surface. The process is time consuming and labor intensive but it opens new possibilities for detailing and makes the drawing more intense and durable.

I'm very honoured that his drawing was nominated for De Nederlandse Portretprijs 2023 and was exhibited in Slot Zeist during the summer of 2023.