The first story I was enchanted by as a child was the story of Moses. I was 7 years old and still long for those summer days when I heard about Moses and projected his adventures in our still unpaved schoolyard. Later on, Michelangelo’s impresion of Moses also had a huge impact on me, so I was very happy that Moses was finally emerging from my own fingers.

Rawness of that sculpture for me, enhances the autonomous power of this Iconic figure.

In the series of portraits that don’t like to be seen; the grieving man. Great sorrow is show in the face, including evasive and aimless gaze. The interesting thing is that you get into that mood yourself, which is a normal reaction. It is the functioning of the mirror neurons that play an important role in social contact. With a sculpture you can expect that you can let this reflection pass you by. The fact that those mirror neurons also do their work on an image gives me great pleasure of making it. Comparable to the pleasure of being a good actor who plays beautiful drama. A challenge for the spectator. Experience how strongly you respond, and how the emotion controls you and then try to step over it. See the grief carved on his face. This doesn’t seem fleeting. He is always stamping  the grief out again.

For a long time this sculpture was like a skinless self-portrait to me. It represents an attitude – which I sensed in myself – of approaching the world with mockery as an attitude towards the Momento Mori. It’s a way of having fun what many people do. Are they trying to fight this ‘remember to die’? For me it is more like a counterpart to meaning: nonsens. It opens up meaning and questions it and puts things in perspective.

Every time a new cabinet is presented I see new primates in tight suits like my “Kabinet de Vries”. Every time I enjoy this first portrait group of mine. This theater of being human is my main inspiration.

I find Lehmbruck’s sculptures quite special, especially his portraits of youthful awkwardness. 

He doesn’t have a clue yet but something is dawning.

A head excavated from the gutter of a Rocker who survived the 1970s. The last brain cell appears to have been sniffed away and the expiration date is in sight. Yet he was hoisted upright again to earn a few more millions. The title is taken from a song by Bill Wyman in which he humorously parodies himself.

Hidden in tormented ‘mud’ there is a very clear and tidy character. You are trapped in the poetry of life but not to be worried about. This image hit me with a shock. Having just started a working method where I did not allow myself to shape the clay with my fingers; I did not know where or how an image would appear. Suddenly consciousness rises from matter.

Impossible to translate

Het beeld ‘Keesje’, het Diakenhuismannetje van Jan Bronner vind ik van een zeldzame klasse. Dit beeld is onderdeel van het Hildegard monument,  gebaseerd op een personage uit de Camera Obscura. Het Diakenhuismannetje lijkt verwikkeld in een constant gevecht met de zwaartekracht. Ik heb het boek nog steeds niet gelezen, bang dat dit beeld tekort gedaan  zal worden. De titel is dus geen verwijzing naar het boek, maar een hommage aan Bronner. Mijn beeld lijdt minder aan de zwaartekracht. Het gaat eerder over het ontglippen eraan, onstoffelijk worden geen lichaam meer. Slechts verzonken in zijn baard.

Mentally exhausted and physically unchallenged, this ‘de man van de Bank’ is sneaking his way through life. Not a pretty sight but still an appealing image, but you might learn to see this. This phenomenon is not only unique to bank employees many run the risk of ending up in such ‘a blind spot’ at some point in their life. Can you possibly find your way out?

A head beated  to pulp waiting for even more blows, longing for a happy knock out!? 

Wake up! Try to wake up and see the truth about reality. But perhaps find another way for your curiosity