Gerda Arts
Angel Project
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Alarm”, artist Ans Verdijk from Beugen invited 58 artists to create a work with the theme 20x20x20.
In my search for the symbolism of the number 20, I came across the site of www.20x20x20.org, a non-profit organization that aims to give 20 million blind children in third world countries (India and Africa) a “20x20 vision.” ”, known in the optics world as the best vision, also called 6/6 (20 feet is 6 meters). This operation to treat blindness, whether congenital or otherwise, takes 15 minutes and costs approximately €350. I was struck by the fact that these children are forced to go through life blind and therefore have no chance, simply because their parents lack financial resources.
The same day also saw the horrific news of the beheading of journalist James Wright Foley by ISIS. That irrevocably brought back memories of the examples from the Bible. As part of my Catholic upbringing, as a seven-eight year old I had to listen to the stories my father read from a large Bible. I thought it was terrible. The many descriptions of the most gruesome murders, massacres, stonings and beheadings were accurate and detailed. The accompanying terrifying illustrations were also not very revealing. I couldn't (and can't) imagine that someone was (and still is) capable of something like that. The intimidation videos that the Islamic State is spreading show the opposite, not that I want to watch them, hearing and reading about them is disgusting enough.
“Our Bible” cost me 25 guilders at a flea market years ago. Since then it has just been collecting dust. Until the right moment would come to “process” him. That time had now come…. I made 400 (20x20) feathers over 20 days and processed them into two large wings. For this I used all the pages of the Bible. The wings are now hanging in the exhibition space of “Alarm” at Ans Verdijk in Beugen.
For 20 hours (5x4 hours) I will try to photograph 20 x20 people posing in front of these wings. I will edit these images into “art angels”. In December and January, all these 400 “art angels” will be given a place (as part of my exhibition) in the smallest museum in the Netherlands: the Museum of All Times in Beugen.
I hope that all these people will then want to buy their own “Art Angel” for € 20, - The total profit (minus 20% for material, printing and shipping costs) will then go to www.20x20x20.org. Thanks to all those angels we can than to restore sight to 20 children.
