Doosje bij penning: Die tyranny verdryven... 1948

This blue box containing a coin, ‘Die tyranny verdryven…', was produced by Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt NV. I like to think of how a box that once contained a coin can now tell us a story about tyranny. The box has its own quiet presence. Its texture is slightly rough and aged, a bit like my own paintings. I can imagine the artist carefully selecting this particular shade of blue, maybe inspired by the sea, or the sky, or a memory. Maybe the artist felt a sense of responsibility, a need to encapsulate history, or perhaps a message of defiance inside something so small. What does it feel like to try to contain complex thoughts, to try to hold the weight of that history, within the palm of your hand? Artists learn from each other, build upon one another's work, and challenge existing ideas. Each artwork becomes a conversation that unfolds across time. Isn't it interesting how a simple object can become a vessel for so much meaning?