Everything has a beginning and an end, nothing lasts forever. Despite our tendency to seek permanence, life does not work that way. We find ourselves in the midst of transitional periods, caught between choices and decisions, searching for inner peace.
I painted this mural on the side of a house in “Ludgeruskwartier” in Deventer for “Muren en Buren” (walls and neighbors) This house, together with the rest of this borough will soon be demolished to make way for new housing. It represents one of many houses where the former residents will be relocated temporarily while new facilities are constructed. Some of the residents called this place home for over three decades. They believed their houses would last forever, only to be confronted with their temporary nature.
In my own life, I have moved countless times, shifting from one house to the other. I lived in temporary facilities for some years and at one point I even spent a few years living in a van with my belongings scattered across different locations. Through this mural, I aimed to capture the essence of residing in transitional housing. It depicts belongings stored in a container, while camping on top of it, drifting towards unknown destinations that do not yet exist. having mail delivered to a vague address, yearning for a sense of nesting and grounding, longing to raise your own flag, and cherishing a few possessions that remain constant. Like the hitman in “Leon” who carried his plant from one hotel room to another.
Although this wall is slated for demolition, it will stand for at least two more years, possibly longer.
Curated by Streetartstreets in Deventer, The Netherlands 2023
