Directions of Life

Series of 3 silk screens in Iris print.

For the Directions of Life, I conducted research on 18th-century prints of family crests. Crests possess specific meanings and descriptions of the social standing of the represented family or institution. In the Directions of Life, I drew inspiration from these shapes, forms, and traditions, crafting my own narrative. I have reimagined the tale from the crests and imbued them with fresh significance in our modern, intricate lives.

These series portray the way we navigate our lives through exploration, decision-making, and balancing. The foundation of the artwork is the Tree of Life, which is molded into an ewer, bawl, or amphora to symbolize the numerous choices life presents us with.

'Directions of Life' features a compass in its base – a play-ball for dogs and cats. Is it truly effortless to determine what you'll become in life: a mermaid, bird, dragon, or monster?
'Directions of Life – Lions'. We are all humans (lions). Balancing between Yin and Yang to select whether to be a pussycat, a wildcat, or the lion king.
'Directions of Life – Birds'. The fulcrum of the scale is formed from a bow and arrow. Good deeds can cause harm, and negative ones can provide protection. Thus, it can be challenging to discern between right and wrong.

The original drawings I created are black ink on paper, which I later reproduced in a limited-edition silkscreen iris print in two colors. Each print is distinct from the others due to the use of colors. Despite being an edition in this manner, I created each piece to be an original. These series were exhibited in Raamsdonksveer and awarded the BAS Grafiek prijs 2014, and they were also shown at Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam 2018 by BAS (Business Art Service).