.
RETURN - BELASTING ART
IN MY MEMORY, THE COLOUR BLUE CARRIES A LEGACY. IN THE POLAND OF THE 1970S AND ’80S, WHERE I GREW UP, THIS SHADE WAS EVERYWHERE, OFFICIAL, COLD, BRUISED-LOOKING. IT LINGERED IN THE BACKGROUND, SEEMINGLY NEUTRAL, YET ALWAYS CONTROLLING, SUPERVISING.
YEARS LATER, WHILE LIVING IN THE NETHERLANDS, THE COLOUR RETURNED AS A MESSAGE FROM THE SYSTEM. A DIFFERENT FORM, A DIFFERENT CONTEXT, BUT THE SAME FEELING OF IMPOSED ORDER AND THE NEED TO RESPOND.
THIS SERIES WAS CREATED ON ORIGINAL BLUE ENVELOPES IN WHICH I RECEIVED CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE DUTCH TAX OFFICE. THESE FORMAL, ADMINISTRATIVE CARRIERS OF INFORMATION, USUALLY SIGNALLING STRESS OR OBLIGATION, WERE TRANSFORMED BY ME INTO A SPACE OF FREE EXPRESSION.
A DRAWING INSTEAD OF FEAR. A PERSONAL GESTURE INSTEAD OF BUREAUCRATIC TONE.
RETURN BOTH AS A SYMBOLIC REFUND FROM THE SYSTEM, AND AS A REVERSAL IN MEANING: FROM COLD INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE TO A SPONTANEOUS, INDIVIDUAL MARK.
RETURN BOTH AS A SYMBOLIC REFUND FROM THE SYSTEM, AND AS A REVERSAL IN MEANING: FROM COLD INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE TO A SPONTANEOUS, INDIVIDUAL MARK.
IT BRINGS A FEELING SIMILAR TO RECEIVING A SURPRISE TAX REFUND, AN UNEXPECTED, BRIEF MOMENT OF PURE PLEASURE. BUT ALSO A QUIET SATISFACTION: A SMALL RECLAIMING OF POWER FROM SOMETHING THAT USUALLY DICTATES THE RHYTHM FROM THE OUTSIDE. A MICRO-ACT OF RESISTANCE, TURNING A SYSTEMIC MESSAGE INTO SOMETHING INTIMATE AND PERSONAL.
A FRAGMENT OF PRIVATE HISTORY, TAMED AND TRANSFORMED INTO A QUICK, SIMPLE GESTURE, BUT MADE ENTIRELY ON ONE’S OWN TERMS.
DRAWINGS / 2025 / VARIABLE FORMATS
MEDIUM: INK ON PAPER THAT ONCE SAID “YOU MUST” AND NOW SAYS “YOU MAY”.
MEDIUM: INK ON PAPER THAT ONCE SAID “YOU MUST” AND NOW SAYS “YOU MAY”.
