
Ik ben omdat jullie zijn – I am because you are
At a table surrounded by two chairs in a tranquil space created by a wall and screens, I invite a visitor to draw with me. We draw each others portrait in one line and without looking at the paper. Afterwards these drawings are added to the wall. The wall is covered with portraits of me and portraits of my visitors.
With this simple exercise, people are confronted with letting go of the end result, with letting go of perfection and of letting go of control. At the same time there is an intense observing of the other. There was joy when the results are revealed and it lead to shared laughs. It lead to surprise about how lively the portraits had become. It lead to conversations about the drawings, about creativity, about perfection and letting go, about what beauty is and about life in general. There was no clock, drawing took as long as it had to and there was limitless room for conversation and sharing.
Once the individual drawings are on the wall they become a part of the whole and together they form a new work to look at. In short, it lead to connection. The area is designed to put one at ease, with blues and greens in the screens, a simple wooden table and chairs. Kindness reigns here. In this save haven one can relax and let go of perfection and come to surprising results.
Every day of the Finals, the wall was filled.