Name: Debora van der Vliet
City: Amsterdam
Occupation: Visual Artist and Illustrator
The work "We melt into one" reflects on what fascinates me in poetry. The interplay and, at the same time, the clashes that take place. It is a work in which sense, metaphor and symbolism play a big role; topics frequently visited in poetry. I think poetry makes great use of symbols through allusions which make metaphors come alive in many instances. This work reflects on the struggle between two strong emotions that takes place inside myself, and —I believe— in all of us. The constant choice between good and evil, positive and negative, both attracting, eliminating, and strengthening one another.
Reading poetry inspires me to look at the world from a different perspective, discover new metaphors and go along in the observational power of the poet. Instead of presenting facts, poetry presents symbolic connections, leaving the reader to draw his own conclusions and discover for himself what the poem is about. I try to incorporate this ‘abstraction’ into my own work as well, leaving the viewer to draw his own conclusions and discover a personal message in my collages.
The titles I give to my works are meant to create a certain atmosphere for the viewer. Each title serves to draw the viewer in, but not spoil the ‘story’ I personally had in mind when creating the work, thus letting the viewer discover his own. Art forms are combined, one illuminating the other and requiring the use of multiple senses.
Favorite poem
Tegenslag
by Willem Thies
de korst op de wond wil maar geen huid
worden ik krab eraan en de korst blijkt
de kop van een spijkertje dat moet gebeurd
zijn toen ik ruim twee weken geleden die
sliding inzette en tegen dat hekwerk
ik werp een bus deodorant in het kampvuur
wat een teleurstellende steekvlam geeft
heb ik dáárvoor mijn kop onder de koude kraan gestoken?
toch flipt de gastheer fuck hem
en mijn vriendin is mijn vriendin niet meer
ze stinkt naar leugens en cigarillos
en doet ad infinitum auditie voor de rol van femme fatale
ze komt nooit verder dan de eerste ronde