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Free Will

(Nederlandse versie)

Free Will 2026

Acrylic on canvas 

180 x 100 cm

Part of the Sublime Comedy series

Free Will - Last Will - 2026 - acrylic on canvas - 180 x 100 cm
Free Will – Last Will – 2026 – acrylic on canvas – 180 x 100 cm

A man seen from behind is faced with a choice: turn left, turn right, or go straight. He has to choose, but he’d rather not—not now…

The paradox:

If you don’t have it, you want it.
If you have it, you want more.
If you have more, you want it all.
If you have it all, you want abundance.
If you have abundance, decision fatigue awaits.

If you choose arbitrarily, solid options fade away.
If you choose not to choose, others do the balancing.

Video - the making of Free Will

The Making of Free Will

Anecdote: a source of inspiration for the painting Free Will

Anecdote: I once bought two pencil sketches of male nudes at a gallery. These two nudes were created by students at the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam in the first half of the 20th century. It’s impossible to trace what became of the students, but the man seen from behind served as the inspiration for the man at the center of my canvas. The white areas are the reflection of the glass in the picture frame, which adds even more tension to the figure.

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Kunstproject van Groen Tot Grijs bedankt haar sponsoren

Van Groen Tot Grijs bedankt haar sponsoren
Dankwoord aan alle subsidiegevers en andere ondersteuners.– klik voor video

(English version)

YES! Vanmorgen kreeg het kunstproject van Groen tot Grijs, voor dit seizoen (voorjaar 2026 – Vind je eigen stem), definitief groen licht van de Gemeente Zwolle in de vorm van een subsidie. Subsidieregeling Cultuur/ versterking amateurkunst (Fonds Amateurkunst)!!

We zijn reeds nu 7 weken bezig dus we zijn superblij dat we ons programma echt goed uit kunnen rollen. Dit betekent concreet dat we onze excursies(s) kunnen gaan plannen en dat we onze eindpresentatie nu goed in de steigers kunnen gaan zetten. De excursie voert naar Next Museum Amsterdam! En dat betekent echt een dag op stap met elkaar. 10 jongeren en 10 ouderen, met de Groen en Grijs Bus (ja dat bestaat echt).

Dit is waarschijnlijk onze laatste Zwolse subsidie. We zijn inmiddels 3 jaar bezig en zijn in deze periode steeds ondersteund door het FAK, Zwolle. We hebben in deze drie jaar de kans gekregen het project door te ontwikkelen en te vormen. We hebben een 3-jarig traject met 6 seizoenen ontwikkeld. Elk seizoen heeft zijn eigen specifieke leerdoel. Zonder de bijdrage van de Gemeente Zwolle maar ook de bijdrage van de Lassus Campus, Rijke School en het faciliteren van ruimte, koffie en thee en de bijdrage van het Fonds Sluyterman van Loo / Lang Leve Kunst / Verbinding, hadden we dit nooit zo kunnen ontwikkelen.

Even goed om te memoreren waar dit avontuur helemaal begonnen is: bij Briljant Zwolle. Bedankt Stadkamer: Freek van der Heide, Jolan Van de Waeter voor het ons betrekken en enthousiasmeren om dit te doen en tot slot bedankt Anne Blok, voor je constructieve meedenken!


Na dit seizoen gaan we aanvragen doen bij landelijke fondsen. En we hopen dat Van Groen Tot Grijs een vast gegeven wordt in de gemeente Zwolle en wie weet ….. daar buiten.

PS: we zijn overigens nog in afwachting van een toekenning van een subsidie: van de Stichting de Gasthuizen .

Bedankt dus allemaal ook en zeker namens al onze leeftijdloze studenten!

Marit en Gina

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Food 4 Thought

(Nederlandse versie)

Food 4 Thought 2026

Pen and ink on paper

70 x 70 cm

Food 4 Thought - pen and ink- 70 x 70 cm 2026
Food 4 Thought – pen and ink- 70 x 70 cm 2026

Food 4 thought

Food B4 thought

A breakfast plate, utensils, cups with remains of coffee and frothed milk, broken eggshells in a small bowl, a weekend newspaper; the aftermath of breakfast and the daily news. Occasionally light to digest, at other times quite substantial

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THISCREPANCY

THISCREPANCY – pen and ink on paper – 70 x 70 cm- 2026

(Nederlandse versie)

THISCREPANCY - pen and ink drawing - 70 x 70 cm 2026
THISCREPANCY – pen and ink drawing – 70 x 70 cm 2026
Soldier, seen from behind, heavily armed, has orders from higher up. He obeys and asks no questions, because that's what soldiers do. 

Souldier seen from behind, heavily armed, has orders from higher up. He has moral objections and poses questions, because that is what soldiers should do.

Soldier will not judge right or wrong, he carries out orders. Just a tool, an extension of a greater power. 

Souldier might have an opinion about what is right and wrong and is prudent in carrying out an order. Much more than a tool or an extension of a higher power.

Soldier has no political colour, just camouflage colours; he serves whoever pays his wages. 

Souldier has no political colour, just camouflage colours; his humanity is not for sale.

Soldier obeys and asks no questions, because that is what soldiers do

Souldier have moral objections and pose questions, because that is what soldiers should do.

With Gaza and Westbank in mind, a heads up against the oppression of Netanyahu and pro peace, for U.S.A. Citizens heads up against ICE (and Trump) pro peace, Ukraine heads up against Putin and pro peace. The list could go on for ever- heads up for all who wants a peaceful living without oppressors.

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Exhibition ‘Common Ground’, Courtrai, Belgium

(Nederlandse versie)

Coming soon: International Group Exhibition ‘COMMON GROUND’ at Larry Gallery

Exhibition COMMON GROUND - Sea Of Tranquility
Exhibition COMMON GROUND – Sea Of Tranquility on display at Larry Gallery, Kortrijk Belgium

This exhibition is curated by Nicolaes Devriendt, Larry Gallery, and showcases 27 international artist including myself. 

27 artist will be presented on two locations in Courtrai, Belgium, over a six week period. It opens at January 29th to March 15th at these two locations: Koning Leopold I straat 26 & Groeningestraat 36.

I wil exhibit two of my latest works there; Sea Of Tranquility and Space Invaders.

“Common Ground reflects the gallery’s ongoing commitment to emerging talent. It reinforces an understanding of contemporary art that values depth, risk, and independence over instant legibility.” 

This quote is attributed to:  Kisito Assangni (Togolese-French curator, art consultant) who wrote an item about this upcoming exhibition in Artdependence  Magazine.

You can read whole article here: https://artdependence.com/articles/common-ground-belgiums-most-anticipated-exhibition-of-emerging-artists-in-2026/

Participating Artists :

LARRY GALLERY

Exhibition Dates : January 29 – March 15

Locations:  Groeningestraat 26, Kortrijk

 Koning Leopold I Straat 26, Kortrijk

banner: Exhibition Exhibition COMMON GROUND - artwork by: Rafael Smet
banner: Exhibition Exhibition COMMON GROUND – artwork by: Rafael Smet










	


	







		

		
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A Divine Comedy
	


	
	

		

 A Divine Comedy’  2025





Pen and ink on paper





70 x70 cm





Divine Comedy - pen and ink - 70 x 70 cm- 2025
Divine Comedy – pen and ink – 70 x 70 cm -2025





(ENG) Man carrying a load that is not his own.
Overlooked by history and reviewed in the future.
Insignificant proceeds significant and the other way around.
The weight of the load is unknown for those who travel light.

This drawing also marks a new series of paintings by the name Sublime Comedy.

(NL) Een man die een last draagt die niet van hem is.
Over het hoofd gezien door de geschiedenis en herzien in de toekomst.
Onbelangrijk blijkt belangrijk en andersom.
Het gewicht van de last is onbekend voor wie licht reist.





Deze tekening is ook het begin van een nieuwe serie schilderijen met de naam Sublime Comedy.

	


	





		

		
Geplaatst op 
Space Invaders
	


	
	

		

(Nederlandse versie)





 Space Invaders 2025





Acrylic on canvas – 100 x 180 cm





Part of the Sublime Comedy  series





Space Invaders -acrylic on canvas - 100 x 180 cm 2025
Space Invaders – acrylic on canvas – 100 x 180 cm 2025





I sometimes wonder: who is invading whom?





Who owns our shared, “God-given” space?





First, fences were built, then endless walls, until a boundless universe became a cramped space.





The protected golden domains are so restricted that only a narrow mind seems to fit in properly.

	


	





		

		
Geplaatst op 
META REFUGEE
	


	
	

		

(Nederlandse versie)





Pen and ink on Paper 





70 x 70





2025





META REFUGEE- 2025- Pen and ink on paper - 70 x 70 cm
META REFUGEE- 2025- Pen and ink on paper – 70 x 70 cm





There is a prison that’s called freedom by its owner.





There is a story that’s called truth by a liar.





There is outrage that’s called civil by a demagogue.





There is a castle in the air that’s denying gravity





There are dead end streets that never lead to Rome










Where beauty is a face that looks like Silicon Valley





Where clickbait is a business model sold as creativity










There is a refugee thats named data in the Matrix





and she wants to go home.










(Thank you Prince for inspiring me with the lyrics from the song Welcome To America)










More drawings: https://maritotto.nl/pen-and-ink-drawing/