The last 12 months have been an interesting journey for me, since I made the personal decision to share the experiences of my grandmother - my "Oma" ie, Mary Gabrielse - and her mother - my great grandmother "Omama" during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies and their internment as prisoners of war.
These experiences were shared in the diary of my Omama, which were heart rendering but exhibited the strength, resilience, creativity and humour, that helped them cope and find purpose during a time of suffering, humiliation and loss. Her journal was translated from Dutch to English by my father. My Oma drew numerous illustrations of life during this period and many of these colourful illustrations survived and are located in the Hague Museum - Museon.
As a mixed media painter and installation artist, I explore issues of identity, displacement and personal meaning. I started this project by creating mixed media pieces that captured the internal marks left by experience. Using photographs, acrylic, ink and bark I created surfaces inspired by the materiality of trees that have weathered the elements, which I use as a representation of the internal marks left by trauma. When someone has suffered they can appear fine while carrying their scars deep within. I used a collage of photographs of trees on the outer areas to reflect this superficial veneer, using many layers. As you view the work you are drawn to the centre which is sculptural and deeply set within the piece, where I use organic materials that are textured and rough, the scars of their experience. The women in this story translated the suffering into something inspiring and transcendent; an unbroken spirit!
The installation was the next phase and by using barbed wire, copper, canvas, water colour paper, ink, coffee, bed linen and vintage cases impressed on me how desolate these women must have felt to lose almost everything and, in many cases, their lives. The Orchid had particular significance, the national flower of Indonesia and memorial flower for war in the Dutch East Indies, symbolised strength and survival - hope, spirit and courage.
During the Second World War, this brave young Dutch girl, for me was a symbol of what freedom truly meant. Her gruelling experiences and the stories she shared stayed with me and I remembered being in awe of her and what she had endured.
It was so hard for my Oma to remember a time of freedom before war broke out, but she survived and hope kept her alive. The painful memories have stayed with her all of her life and those who did not make it are forever in her thoughts. My Oma, my brave, brave Oma!