“BESTAANIGHEIDSBEWIJZ is an ongoing collection of handmade art books. The books function as a self-portrait, built from traces of my daily life. All paper used in the books came to me in one way or another: through post, exhibitions, receipts, letters, notes, packaging, printed matter.........
The books bring together my material research and my attention to the world around me. They collect evidence of existence. Who are we, and how are we shaped by what surrounds us? I am a person living in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam. I receive letters about healthcare payments, medication with handwritten notes attached, political mail addressed to a previous resident, receipts from everyday purchases, letters from friends......... These fragments accumulate and are bound together.
It took time before I shared these books. Allowing time to pass became part of the work. Through sharing, the materials gain a new life. Within the pages, you can find me, but sometimes you recognise yourself.
a piece of forgotten paper.
All materials used for this project were found, received, collected...........”
A unique book made from found materials which at the same time provides a snapshot of life documented in the non-descript sort of paper that we encounter on the regular; receipts, advertisements, envelopes, coupons, notebook pages, etc.
Hand-sewn, 20 x 16 cm, varying number (± 240) of not numbered pages in varying sizes, n.p. n.d.
(Cover and contents vary)
