Collections
Mirjam Deen
Escapism in six artworks
Avid art lover and a wine connoisseur Mirjam Deen, once started as an art advisor at Cultuur en Ondernemen, a knowledge centre for entrepreneurship in the culture sector. Deen has been working in the art world with great enthusiasm for a decade now. Initially as an art programmer, curator and art producer, but since she found her vocation as an art advisor for private individuals and companies, she visits as many gallery and museum shows as possible to inform and advise her customers about their art purchases. In 2018, she published 'De Amsterdame' - a style guide for the contemporary Amsterdam woman, together with Lisa Maschhaupt. Especially these days, she experiences art as a welcome distraction in a world of uncertainty and rules, rules and more rules. Hence her choice for the theme "escapism".
For me the theme that connects the works I have chosen is the longing for another world, the escape from reality or: escapism. A current topic. Because if there is one period that we would all like to flee and exchange for a more hedonistic life, this is it. Yet I have also noticed in myself and in those around me, that art is necessary - now more than ever. Recently, I was looking for new ways to relax and escape from the bitter reality.
Fortunately, I have a dog and nature makes up for a lot of it. But what I've missed in recent months is visiting galleries and museums. Viewing art online is really different from experiencing art in real life. Thankfully, online sales continued reasonably for many artists and galleries. We live in a time that is a "new reality" for every generation. Artists use this time to create, more than in times of relative certainty. I think a lot of beautiful, new work is created in times of crisis. Art benefits from these abrasive times. Little is created if you have the wind behind you. Escapism, in art and beyond, is rampant in times of crisis.
For me the theme that connects the works I have chosen is the longing for another world, the escape from reality or: escapism. A current topic. Because if there is one period that we would all like to flee and exchange for a more hedonistic life, this is it. Yet I have also noticed in myself and in those around me, that art is necessary - now more than ever. Recently, I was looking for new ways to relax and escape from the bitter reality.
Fortunately, I have a dog and nature makes up for a lot of it. But what I've missed in recent months is visiting galleries and museums. Viewing art online is really different from experiencing art in real life. Thankfully, online sales continued reasonably for many artists and galleries. We live in a time that is a "new reality" for every generation. Artists use this time to create, more than in times of relative certainty. I think a lot of beautiful, new work is created in times of crisis. Art benefits from these abrasive times. Little is created if you have the wind behind you. Escapism, in art and beyond, is rampant in times of crisis.
0 Media items ᛫ 20 Available artworks
4 Shows ᛫ 0 Highlights ᛫ 0 Recommendations
Ruth van Beek is a good example of an artist who embodies my urge for escapism in art. I can leaf through her artist's books for hours or look at her works of art. Her work makes you think, stimulates your imagination and challenges you to make a story with the images she serves you. "The Situation Room - Four Figures with Blue Hair" has been given a current charge for me: the figures seem to be on islands, one and a half metres apart, if you like. There is talk of communication, but only with due regard for social distancing. I really love Ruth and her work. She has a special, clear view of the world around her. I also love her posts on social media and her eye for composition. For me that is also the value of art: seeing the world through the eye of the artist. Ruth brings back childhood memories: at home, my mom couldn't throw anything away. From shopping lists to folders, from books to our children's drawings, nothing was ever thrown away. Ruth does the same, but in a more focused manner. In addition, she converts all those books full of pages that she collects into something new: works of art. I would like to dive into her archive for a day and discover all kinds of obscure books with niche subjects, wonderful. Her book "How To Do The Flowers" is highly recommended. A book that arose from the demolition, tearing, cutting and rearranging of pages from other books.
0 Media items ᛫ 47 Available artworks
10 Shows ᛫ 0 Highlights ᛫ 0 Recommendations
Another work which instantly allows me to dream away. Something I like to do - especially in these times. Fleeing into a work of art, dreaming away in someone's thoughts translated into a creative expression. Pure escapism. This is a very topical work: together with his wife and child, Krijno went into a lockdown in the countryside outside Cape Town and made his "Lockdown Collages" there. A series of works made from re-photographed old images that he has collected over the years. For me, that feels very much like something that belongs to this time: repurposing your old work to create new art. Krijno made this work to counteract the paralyzing fear that this period entails. All kinds of compressed images, like layers of a cake and very sweet to look at. But the underlying idea is that of parrying fear that the artist now feels. Fear can paralyze, but a crisis like this can also cause an explosion of creativity. Either way, we've entered exciting times.
3 Media items ᛫ 41 Available artworks
11 Shows ᛫ 1 Highlights ᛫ 1 Recommendations
The parents of Melanie Bonajo occasionally tied her to the bed - to the mattress to be precise. Not so much as a punishment, I am told, but just to "help" her. She slept poorly and was restless. Her parents thought it would be a good idea to tie her up. That didn't work, as she managed to escape and walked around the house with a mattress and half the bed tied to her back. This context adds an interesting extra meaning to this work. Bonajo doesn't have a lot of processions, but often dreams of burning those. Perhaps that is the ultimate freedom: possessing nothing. But regardless of the content: the image has something sensual and witty at the same time. It is wonderful that an artist has put so much effort into creating this image. I can see her at work in her studio, going through quite a bit of pain to produce these images for us. Fascinating.
4 Media items ᛫ 15 Available artworks
7 Shows ᛫ 0 Highlights ᛫ 1 Recommendations
This book is an ode to plants. I got onto this since a plant, especially in a museum, is something so real. The care of a plant also requires a no-nonsense approach to water and sunlight. Purely scientific and literally down to earth, rooting in the earth. Here and now. So, this project is a bit the odd one out among the other works that all deal with the theme of escapism. Meijer researched the plant collection of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam between 1945 and 1983 that served as support for the collections. Think of a sansevieria next to a work by Rothko or Christo. A Swiss cheese plant was placed next to Mondrian's work to mitigate the shock of this new, modern art. Thirty-nine different types of plants populated the Stedelijk. Someone was specially appointed to take care of the plants. A kind of plant curator. Brilliant. In the end, the plants had to give way for reasons related to hygiene, humidity and safety.
0 Media items ᛫ 20 Available artworks
2 Shows ᛫ 0 Highlights ᛫ 0 Recommendations
Helen Beard's use of colour is beautiful in this particular work. This is another work you have to see up close to really be able to admire it. Only then you’ll see the brush strokes and the depth in the layer of paint. The image is quite explicit, but due to the use of colour and the abstracting of fields, the scene is less uncomfortable. This also makes it more accessible and breaks a barrier. Generally speaking, we are still quite squeamish. I saw Beard's previous solo exhibition in London at the Unit gallery and became an instant fan. This work was part of an exhibition I saw at Reflex in Amsterdam. I notice that many female clients ask about her paintings. People describe Beard's work as controversial, taboo-breaking and provocative. I'd rather say it's a representation of the intimate side of real life – a side in which one can also disappear ...