10 March 2019

Since I am editing my yearly magazine MARI/JA I am putting the background ideas of my work together. I’ve always thought about social and/or arthistorical links in my work but since 1990 they go in many directions. They are connected but are widely spread out. That may not always produce clear statements. 

In a way I’ve always avoided ‘clear statements’, never wanted to choose for one direction/concept in my work. I did not want to become a specialist in my own specialism. Especially as a painter I found this far too limited… 
Because of the history of painting, too much related to the Art we are brought up with.. the Western Art History with CAPITALS…
This Art History which is now in the 21st century falling apart, the rest of the world is more and more included… so story lines don’t continue. There is so much more…!

Of course after many years of working a kind of personal specialism is inevitable. See how things go from here….

This morning I stumbled on this article about the art history of Africa from before colonisation.

article link:
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-unpacking-medieval-african-arts-profound-global-legacy