… will be given away. For free.

Allow me to explain why I am doing this. If you know me a bit, you know that my images are stronger than my words, but I will try my best to explain my motivation for giving art away as clearly as possible.

There are moments where I feel trapped. Trapped in a system that is designed to keep power in the hands of a minority capitalist class that exists through the exploitation of a working class majority. A system that prioritizes profit over the environment and people. A system that is depleting all of our resources.

A system that seems to generate more inequality every single day.

This topic often keeps Jan (my partner) and me busy. Sometimes we worry, but most of the times we are brainstorming creative ways to arrange our lives in such a way that we can break away from this system step by step. This process involves a lot of questioning and a lot of thinking out loud.

And although we realize it is almost impossible to fully break away from capitalism, there are quite a lot of things we can do! These things can be big, but they can also be small(er) actions.

My art and my business

When I decided to stop “working for a boss”, and started my own business, I joined a lot of courses and coaching programs to learn how to run a business. The contents were almost always similar: How to make more money; How to make even more money; How to be more successful by making more money; More money means more freedom; Your (high) prices reflect how seriously you take yourself as a business owner.

And more of the same.

And how do you accomplish all of this? By tricking people into thinking they need your product or service, using (often) manipulative marketing “tools.”

These tactics never sat right with me, and I always questioned them.

In the art world I see the same things happening. Very high prices and elaborate (manipulative) marketing strategies that give me the ick. I hear coaches say the same thing: “If you take yourself seriously as an artist, you ask serious prices for you art”.
(I do want to add here that awesome anti-capitalist business coaches, that help businesses grow sustainably and ethically, exist)

I believe that everyone should do what makes them feel good (as long as they do not harm others). And if that means charging high prices for your art, by all means, go for it! I also believe that your prices say nothing about your value as an artist.

I fully realize that we do need to make money in order to survive within this system.

And yet …

I feel the need to rebel a bit.
To rebel against this system of oppression.

I started a list of “Little Acts of Rebellion” during my stay in Switzerland last November, when I was contemplating life. One of the things I listed as a little act of rebellion:

Give art away for free.

Art heals and I believe that art should be available to anyone. I think that everyone deserves a piece of art on their wall. Art should definitely not only be for the financially privileged!

I also feel like I want to give back to this amazing community. You have given me so much already, and I feel so grateful for all of you who have supported me on this journey

That’s why I am offering this series of paintings for free.

Because I am a grateful and happy rebel 😉