The role and status of the artist changed fundamentally in the ninetheenth century. Interest grew in the person behind the work and the artist's portrait became a popular genre. Artists were keen to show themselves as individuals as well as painters, while also acting as their own models.

In 'Before I Was Born', Tja Ling illustrates the story of her family’s journey from China to the Netherlands, between the 1930s and 1970s, in 14 interconnected pencil drawings. Out of respect and admiration for the way her (grand)- parents built a life for themselves with all the challenges they have had to face, migrating without any formal education or knowledge of the local language.

These drawings are a chronicle of pride, strength and respect. A narrative of a child discovering why he...

Contemporary British artist Ian Berry (1984, Huddersfield UK) has been making virtuous figurative paintings and installations of denim for over 15 years. This eponymous publication accompanies the first solo-exhibition of Berry in the Netherlands. Ian Berry. Splendid Isolation, Museum Rijswijk, December 1, 2020 – April 5, 2021.

Illustrated with numerous images that aim to convey the depth and texture of Berry’s work, which explores our urban environment and examines community issues, or t...