Upcoming exhibition Silence = Violence

(Nederlandse versie)

Opening 31-05-26 at 15.00 h | May 31 till June 21 | Open sat. and sun. at 13.00 h. | De Loods – Scheldestraat 26, Breda.

Exhibition Silence = Violence - 31-05-2026
Exhibition Silence = Violence – 31-05-2026

Silence = Violence is a group exhibition curated by Joyce Overheul.

I am also invited to take part in this exhibition with two artworks; Art- Video Ooooh Well in collaboration with Ali Reza Tahoeni, and the pen drawing Heavenly Peace Revisited in collaboration with Ahmed Aldaalsa who’s drawings will be shown here as well.

About the exhibition

Critical voices are under pressure worldwide. In a time where a Third World War is closer than ever, more and more people are being silenced. Not only in dictatorial regimes, but also in countries like the Netherlands, where symbols such as a watermelon are labeled by politicians as a dog whistle for extremist ideology. By silencing people, the possibility of dialogue—and with it, the possibility of gaining insight into another person’s situation—is lost.

Kunstenaarsinitiatief DeLOODS invited artist Joyce Overheul to curate this exhibition featuring artists who cannot make their voices heard in their countries of origin. Voices from countries such as Iran, Syria, Palestine, Crimea, Hong Kong, Greece, and the United States, but also critical art from the Netherlands. For some artists, participation in their home country is so unsafe that they participate in the exhibition under an alias or anonymously.

Silence is one of the most powerful methods of exercising power over people. It is not without reason that the silent treatment exists, where people in relationships punish each other with silence. Sometimes silence is also a form of self-defense. For instance, in countries where the government has full control, and privacy is hard to come by, many people prefer silence to speaking out for their own safety. In this way, many people are silenced.

Here, in this exhibition, we make ourselves heard. We no longer accept the silence. We no longer accept that media such as newspapers and news broadcasts report too one-sidedly on genocide, war, and violence. That is why we speak out. For whoever remains silent consents, and thereby contributes to the suffering of a great many people.

The voices of the artists in this exhibition must be heard. And that is why we do not remain silent.

Deelnemende kunstenaars | Participating artists

Airco Caravan (NL/VS),
Khaled Chujaa (Syrië/NL),
Marit Otto (NL),
Ahmed Aldaalsa (Gaza),
Anonymous Artist (VS),
David C. Terry (VS/Duitsland),
Eugenia Grammenou (Griekenland),
Matthijs Hannink (NL),
Natalia Grezina (Oekraïne/NL),
Hanif Bahari (Iran/Zweden),
Kian Moradi (Iran/NL),
Soodeh Karimi (Iran/Turkije),
Miss Bunny (Hong Kong/NL)
Festa del Bastardino (NL)
K_D (Ghana)

OOOOH WELL - art video - in collaboration with Ali Reza Tahoeni
OOOOH WELL – art video – in collaboration with Ali Reza Tahoeni

Upcoming exhibition; Resistance

(Nederlandse versie)

June 11 till July 19 2026 – De Ploegh Gallery, Amersfoort

Silent Green Rage 2022
Silent Green Rage – 2022- digital print op D Bond 120 x 80 cm -(and more) also on display at Exhibition Resistance

The Exhibition Resistance tries to interpret this loaded word artistically. As seen through the eyes and hands of the artists, this word proves that it can indeed be viewed and approached from many different angles; abstract, specific, personal, political, social, philosophical or psychological

This exhibition expresses resistance in various ways to contemporary developments and events such as: growing authoritarian tendencies, a government that bureaucratically crushes its citizens, the depletion of the earth, and addictive algorithms used by social media companies—there are so many reasons for resistance, the list goes on.

The intention of this exhibition is to make a visual statement, whether subtle or forceful.

Can art set something in motion? 

Participating artist including myself are:

Ahmed Aldaalsa
Anna Belleforte
Barbara Bläsing
Myra Breukers
Michiel Deylius
Jan van Dijk

Boudewijn Korsmit
Maarten van der Laag
Guy-Gérard Ngono
Marit Otto and Linda Verkaaik

Galerie De Ploegh
(Cultuurhuis bij Flint) Coninckstraat 58
3811WK Amersfoort
(033) 475 07 70
info@deploegh.nl

Opening hours

Tue to Sun 13.00 – 17.00 uur
Free entrance

Opening: Sunday June 14- 3:00 p.m.

The creation of Free Will

(Nederlandse versie)

The creative process of a painting often takes place out of sight of the viewer. Many hours of labor lie behind the final image. With this, I would like to offer you a small glimpse behind the scenes.

The making of Free Will
The making of Free Will -click here for video
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.

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.

KUNST IN ZWOLLE ZUID?

(English version)

Afgelopen najaar ben ik weer benaderd door deltaWonen en Stichting Het Werkt Sociaal (voorheen Travers), met de vraag of ik mee wil denken/werken aan een community- art project in Zwolle Zuid. Om precies te zijn de Van der Capellenstraat rondom het winkelcentrum.

In 2016 heb ik eerder in opdracht van deltaWonen een community-artproject gedaan in de hal van het wooncomplex Wade Belvedere, Stadshagen, Zwolle. Dat was een prachtig leuk project met een blijvend resultaat; een vrolijke zonnige entree die nog altijd in deze vorm in gebruik is.


Nu, aanstaande zaterdag 25 april 2026 sta ik met mijn presentatie tijdens de Oranjefair tussen 16u en 18u in de binnentuin van de Regentenstraat onder de noemer: KUNST IN JE WIJK.

Het doel hiervan is betrokken en creatieve buurtbewoners werven die aan willen haken bij dit project. Als kerngroep kan je meedenken en werken aan de realisatie van een mooi kunstwerk op de wanden in deze buurt.

Woon je in deze buurt en lijkt het je wat, dan zie ik jou graag langskomen. De intekenlijst ligt klaar.

Tot zaterdag!?





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

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

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.