I have the right to be forgotten 2019

Jarik Jongman’s painting, "I have the right to be forgotten," presents us with a figure standing in what appears to be a neglected interior. The artwork's title suggests a contemporary concern with privacy and the individual's power over their own image and history. The dark palette and obscured details might reflect a sense of alienation and the desire to fade from public view. We can imagine the Netherlands, Jongman’s home country, as a place in the early 21st century, where debates about digital privacy and the right to be forgotten are becoming increasingly relevant to social discourse and legal frameworks. Jongman seems to be commenting on the pervasive nature of surveillance and data collection in modern society. To fully understand such a work, one might research the legal history of privacy laws in Europe, as well as artistic movements that have responded to similar concerns about identity, memory, and technology.