In Our Nature 2024- Acrylic on canvas- part of the Side Show series
The blue letters on a paper bag smiled at me from the roadside, It has been there for a while, at least a few days. Yet it hasn’t been so long that either the blue is discoloured or the bag half-decayed. It still looks fresh. Next to the bag, scraps of what was probably a burger. A piece of grey matter in yellow-pink goo hangs bloodlessly from a white bag, with green limp lettuce leaves and a sliver of tomato as irrefutable evidence of knowledge of good nutricion. A pair of soulless and limp fries stick out of a bright red cardboard container. A striped straw protrudes triumphantly from a large white cup with plastic cap which combined with the red tray of fainted fries gives a festive look. What a happy meal this must have been.
Everywhere I look I find these silent testimonies of feeding frenzy that apparently had to take place then and there and that after a big burp of pleasure suddenly became too much. Was it too heavy on the stomach to move what was left just an inch?
Evidently, that which was picked up, wheeled around and nibbled on full of desire and gluttony had to be disassociated from as soon as possible, immediately in fact.
Those who love blue letters can move from A to B while scrabbling. Those less fond of it see mostly a correlation.
Escape Route X is the title of an educational multimedia and cutting-edge social game. Students from the Social Work programme will engage in an experience exercise by stepping briefly ‘ in a playful manner ’ into the shoes of a refugee.
Pilot project Escape Route X – Deltion College Zwolle
4 groups will be made to play the game simultaneously over 90 minutes. In the game, students assume the identities of fictional refugees: Chin Ho from North Korea (Asia), Ali Osman from Sudan (North Africa), Jimpa from Tibet (Asia) and Jamilah from Syria (Middle East). This identity determines their starting point, means of transport and home situation, thus their place at the gaming table.
To properly get into character, players are given a passport. This passport contains their character’s brief life story and reason for departure/flight. Although the characters are fictional, the stories are penned from collected stories of real refugees.
4 Game distributors are responsible for issuing the game passports, situation cards and start/travel money but also act as a question guide for the players.
These game handlers are experts by experience who have a flight past themselves. Courtesy of the Foundation Voor Elkaar, Zwolle, the following expert by experience will assist me: Noor Ba- Hashwan (23) from Yemen, Abdullah al Mohamed (25) from Syria, Hasmik Karapetyan (32) from Armenia. And Mustafa Ahmed (22) from Somalia by means of theSamen Omhoog foundation.
Afterwards, they will also give an insight into their own migration stories and answer questions.
By doing so, we hope to give more insight into refugee issues here and in the country of origin, in times of polarisation and increasing intolerance. At the same to give it a face and a personal story.
We would like to contribute to a more open attitude towards newcomers.
This pilot was created in collaboration with Petra Turan, with support from the municipality of Zwolle. Petra is Senior Lecturer at Deltion College/ Visual artist, MSc Design Driven Innovation/ Moderator eTwinning group and IVET Community/Blended Coach)
This game was developed by me and artist Mark van Enk in 2011 entitled Flight 050511 for the Liberation Day festival in Zwolle. I then further developed it into a full-fledged board game. With the help of Codename Future, Emiel Sikkema and teacher Wim Hilberdink and his medialogue students at SG Thorbecke Zwolle, I conducted research to optimise the game and make it interesting for a young audience. I then further developed it into what it is today with input from Jolan van de Water, Patrick Pelman, Stan Vergeer and Petra Turan.
I hereby proudly present my latest painting to you
Insomnia- [ a bed piece about bed peace ] 2024 – part of the Brave New World series.
Insomnia(a bed piece about bed peace)-Acryl op canvas- 155 x 90 cm- 2024
This canvas took me a while. The messy bedding, duvet and wrinkled sheets forced me to look closely and study what was actually happening there in that fabric. I saw so much detail, hue differences in grey tones, fold lines, creases and bulges that had almost human traits, that there was practically no way out. In the second instance, I chose to leave out a lot of detail again, by erasing it. The turmoil in the image depicts my own turmoil from a while ago. This is my reckoning with that period.
2023- Haunting thoughts kept me awake during a period of 3 months. The thought of haunting thoughts kept me awake. The fear of the thoughts of the haunting thoughts kept me awake and made me anxious to go to bed.
Tossing and turning, it seemed a never ending attempt to silence my restless heart. Tried [too] hard to ignore noises of wind blowing, cats on roof, a car starting, a street conversation, a train passing, a party in the distance, even the comforting respiration of my man and the snoring of my cat. I hold my heart and belly as my breath is too high up and going too fast.
My eyes wide shut.
Hoping to shut the flow of insecure and sad voices within.
A glance at the alarm clock tells me that it’s four AM.
I scare myself.
All I ever really wanted was peace, peace of mind, peace of heart, bed peace.
His work and that of other artist is on display by the name; Gaza ’24
A month and a half ago, I introduced Ahmed Aldaalsa, a young artist from Gaza to you. Meanwhile, I can (proudly) report that Ahmed has an exhibition at art space Het Langhuis in Zwolle.
GAZA’24 – exhibition Ahmed Aldaalsa- Kunstruimte Het Langhuis
I curated this exhibition together with Wim Marseille (Langhuis expo committee) and, with the help and commitment of artists, performers and now many others, we managed to turn it into something beautiful and (I think) meaningful.
The opening will be framed by a live performance by Fakkelteit in Beatbox; Rilyc, Stan & Felix Flakes. DJ ‘Jehudi spins record’ will provide tasty music, there will be snacks, drinks and good company.
Through Ahmed’s raw yet vulnerable images and retorts from Zwolle artists and others, we open a new debate; sensitive, engaged, compassionate and supportive.
Ahmed’s work is also for sale Quality prints have been made of his drawings and photographs on A2 and A3 in small editions. These special prints are on sale at the Langhuis. The proceeds go directly to the artist still living in Gaza.
From 07 July to 27 September, my works; I Would Always Want To Be Here, Nothing But A Dreamer, Brave New World 02, Violence Is Blue and Sweet Dreams will be on display during the exhibition Multiplying (Vermeerderen) – at Micksart Gallery in Emmen
Nothing But a Dreamer. Acryl op canvas 150/150cm, 2010Ik Zou Hier Altijd Kunnen Zijn ’09. Acryl, grafiet en lakverf op doek 1.00b/ 1.70hViolence Is Blue- Acryl op canvas 120/80cm. 2020Escalator-2021- Brave New World serieSweet Dreams. Acryl op canvas 150/100. Brave New World 02
Exhibition Story Line
From 07 July to 11 August, my works; Virgin Screens (Green), Do You Follow Me and Are You Following Me will be on display at the exhibition Story line at Galerie de Ploegh in Amersfoort.
Virgin Screen – Green 2024#Do You Follow Me + #Are You Following Me –
Sold
Happy to report that my painting Brave New World 01 is getting a new home! The new owner is the Zwolle-based company, STORM in Recruitment.
Thank you Arnold Bouman, for the purchase and have fun with, what I believe is also a bit symbolic of the, Superman, which is surely also hidden in all of us, no matter how small or how big you or your shadow may be.
I hereby present my latest artwork, Blue Eyed Blues, to you
Acryl op canvas – 62 x 62 cm 2024
Blue Eyed Blues -acrylic on canvas 51 x 51 cm – 2024
A pile of dishes. A mix of plates, inherited from my grandmother, a Japanese Bowl and a hard plastic watercup accidentally add up to what appears to be a gazing blue eye, that’s wide open and sees all. Could things have souls? According to some they have.
Hierbij presenteer ik jullie mijn nieuwste kunstwerk, Blue Eyed Blues.
Acryl op canvas – 62 x 62 cm 2024
Een stapel servies. Een mix van borden, geërfd van mijn grootmoeder, een Japanse kom en een hard plastic waterbakje vormen samen per toeval wat lijkt op een starend blauw oog, dat wijd open staat en alles ziet. Zouden dingen een ziel hebben? Volgens sommigen wel.
Dit kunstwerk is onderdeel van de Side Show series.
The selection now covers 9 variations: Red – Black – Yellow- Black 02 – Blue – Black 03, Pink – Black 04 and Green.
Red – Black and Yellow are on display during PROTO, Zwolle in the auditorium of the Stadkamer. PROTO runs from June 26-30, 2024 but the works will stay longer.
Inmiddels beslaat de selectie 9 variaties: Red – Black – Yellow- Black 02 – Blue – Black 03, Pink – Black 04 en Green.
Red – Black en Yellow hangen tijdens PROTO, Zwolle in de grote zaal van de Stadkamer. Proto is van vanaf 26 t/m 30 juni 2024 maar het werk blijft langer hangen.
Mijn spel Escape Route X kan weer een volgende stap in haar ontwikkeling maken. Ik heb een subsidie gekregen om het dit najaar te testen met studenten welzijn van het Deltion College.
Inmiddels zijn de ‘echte’ vouwbare spelborden geleverd en zijn er spel ID’s gemaakt voor de spelpersonages …….het wordt steeds mooier en completer.
Met dank aan Jolan Van de Waeter, Patrick Pelman en Stan Vergeer, die het spel (wat ik al jaren met mij mee draag) met mij gespeeld, getest hebben, extra verbeteringen hebben aangedragen en mij op dit spoor hebben gezet.
Na deze test hoop ik het spel, waarbij je als speler in de huid van een vluchteling kruipt, verder te brengen op scholen en wie weet andere locaties waar behoefte is aan het verbreden van een horizon en het nuanceren van een kijk op de vluchtelingenproblematiek. Laat me weten als je als organisatie, of school nieuwsgierig bent naar dit spel, dan zet ik je op een lijst.
Introducing to you: R.O.T. Selections Pink 01, Black 04 & Green 01. Drawn from the Remains Of Today series
I started with a series of small circular made canvases in 2018, and named the small unique works verbals. I created in total 300 verbals by the name of Remains Of Today.
They were presented to you on this platform over time, as single artworks and sets. As I finished this project about revaluing litter and daily remains, I decided to re-order and re-present them. You may regard it as a best off’, sampling the best works in the best possible combinations of 9.
Even voorstellen: R.O.T. Selecties Roze 01, Zwart 04 & Groen 01. geselecteerd uit de Remains Of Today serie
Ik begon in 2018 met een serie kleine circulair gemaakte doeken en noemde de kleine unieke werken verbals. In totaal maakte ik 300 verbals onder de naam Remains Of Today.
Ze werden in de loop van de tijd aan jullie gepresenteerd op dit platform, als losse kunstwerken en als sets. Toen ik dit project over het herwaarderen van zwerfafval en dagelijkse overblijfselen had afgerond, besloot ik ze opnieuw te ordenen en te presenteren. Je kunt het zien als een ‘best off’, een selectie van de beste werken in de best mogelijke combinaties van 9.
Lees alles over dit project en de totale installatie
“How can a person lose everything he owns and not lose his mind?” Ahmed Aldaalsa, Gaza 2024.
Gaza 2024-by Ahmed Aldaalsa
I am a board member at Kunstruimte het Langhuis (Zwolle) and more than half a year ago we had this exhibition called Young In Gaza. We invited 5 female artist from Gaza with paintings and drawings of their daily life. I bought a beautiful portrait of a cat by Fatma Haloupi. We have stayed in minimal contact since then but with that came a new contact, called Ahmed.
Ahmed Aldaalsa- How can a person lose everything he owns and not lose his mind?
Recently as Fatma did, Ahmed messaged me too to ask if we wanted to crowdfund him to help him escape from Rafah. It was this personal contact as well as the feeling of the drop in the bucket that made me consider the possibility of other possible ways to do something.
Since Ahmed and also Fatma are both young artists and thus able to transform their experiences and despair into images and therefore also provide a stage for themselves as well as the suffering of others. I figured, I just need to make them a little more visible and their story tells itself.
Hence I gave Ahmed and Fatma a spot on my website, and there is room for more.
On this guest page you can see more of his drawings affiliated under the description “How can a person lose everything he owns and not lose his mind?
It also includes the link to his and her Instagram and crowdfunding page.
This summer art space the Langhuis hopes to show the personal work of Ahmed, Fatma and other artists from Gaza to tell a universal but very personal story of displacement fear and sorrow. A story that needs to be told.
