Exhibition

 Britt van Dam, self-thaugt artist, is currently working in her studio at Acta Broedplaats on her second exhibition. She takes a number of years for each exhibition.

The solo-exhibiton 'Odyssey' was shown at St. Pauls Lounge, Micks Art Gallery, and KunstLokaal SAKB. 

Exhibition Odyssey... Travel Report

Broken Heart (Acrylic, 50 x 70, 2017) 

 

This painting was created following a dream about the death of a child and grieving. A heart that cried bleeding tears over a dark lake of blood. Later the heart traveled to the universe where it found its place. Following this image, I attended a lecture at the UvA on 'Broken Heart Syndrome' and discovered the Takotsubo syndrome. This syndrome occurs when the heart muscle weakens, usually after emotional or physical stress. With this syndrome, the left ventricle takes on a shape that resembles this Japanese pot.

Warzone (Acryl, 80 x 60, 2018, € 750,-)



In this painting, we see a little boy who has been 'rescued' (at least his body) by a soldier from the war and is being returned to a world without war. The inspiration for this work came from a photo I saw at 'World Press Photo' in the Nieuwe Kerk.

 Politics (Acryl, 26 x 30, 2018, € 250,-)



I based this painting on a photo I bought in a French vintage store. The photo depicted a combative female soldier. While she looked determined, I felt anger and sadness, The work evokes the awareness that politicians make decisions about war, while others have to fight it, and even those who do not choose it become victims.

Game Over (Oil on canvas, 60 x 80, 2018, € 1250,-)



What would happen if robots took over humanity? What would be lost? On Facebook, I asked my friends what they thought would be lost. Words such as: love, life, dreams, creativity, intuition, freedom, faith, and conciousness were given as answers. The first time robots subtly took over part of my life was when I played Mario on my Nintendo as a child. I spent hours completing the game. To visualize my thoughts, I incorporated the text 'Game Over', as in the Mario game, into my painting. Below the text are the silhouettes of the main characters in Mario: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad. In the silhouettes, I painted Sartre, Gandhi, Van Gogh, and Einstein with statements they made about the words I received.

Evolution (Oil on canvas, 60 x 80, 2018-2024, € 950,-)



I immediatly knew that the word evolution had to be displayed in binary code on the canvas. Below it, the evolution of humans had to be depicted, from ape to robot. The painting hung idle for years because I did not know what the robot of the future would look like. I still don't know, but in connection with the exhibition, I felt compelled to create an image. In the meantime, I wondered whether robots would take over humanity or whether we would dissapear from Earth sooner due to climate change. I have also depicted that despair visually. While I was drawing waves, I thought that humans descended from primates, who descended from sea creatures and thus fish. When 'the circle of life' comes full circle, our downfall is also our new beginning.

I am on fire (Acrylic, 80 x 80, 2021, € 750,-)



This painting came about when I, after drinking a few Duvel beers, felt 'on fire'. In this fiery artwork, a Duvel can be found, but also skulls, al little deer, a little dragon, and a Indian. It can be hung and viewed in different ways.

Calmer waters (Acrylic, 80 x 80, 2024, € 750,-) - sold



When artist Willem Rasing invited me to hold my first solo exhibition, I felt that the fiery painting needed water as a counterpart.

Blueprint of Life (Oil on canvas, 100 x 100, 2021-2026)



In 2021 I began a blueprint of life. The idea was to doodle the first part of the Bible (Genesis). Actuallly, it wasn't really doodling, because that is done without thought, and the little drawings on this canvas are consciously chosen, but the simplicity of the little drawings does have something of doodling. Why did I have the idea to represent the incredible complexity of life simply on blue diazo paper? Maybe because I was searching for the purpose? A hand that had thought it out? Mindlessly doodled or as if a on a construction drawing with deliberate planning and subject to calculations? The painting is still in the design phase and pherhaps it will remain that way. According to the internet, 'Genesis' means in Greek origin or creation.

Jerusalem, Rome en Santiago de Compostela (Oil on canvas, 50 x 60, 2024, € 1250,- each)
Odyssey (Oil on canvas, 50 x 60, 2024, € 1500,-)