The Prophet- Portrait of Dutch Right-Wing and Anti-Islam Politician Geert Wilders with Muslims

The Prophet

Portrait of Dutch right-wing and
anti-islam politician Geert Wilders
with Muslims

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
48" x 36" or 122 x 91,5 cm
2011

SOLD

Here it is: the end of the mystery tour. If you put all the pieces of the puzzle together you get this portrait of Dutch right-wing and anti-islam politician Geert Wilders. With the elections coming up this wednesday I thought it would be a perfect time to show it.

I jokingly entitled my painting The Prophet as a lot of people in the Netherlands see him that way. From a distance it shows Wilders smiling, up close it’s obvious that the painting is build up of numerous smaller portraits. Portraits of muslims that is. Over 750 are staring at viewer. A very precise work of art which took me over 3 months to create.

The painting makes clear that Wilders and muslims are inextricable bound up with each other. The politician would have never gotten this far if it wasn’t for the muslims. Unwillingly they build up Wilders’ reputation. A thank you would be in order. Without his pride horse Wilders would be lost. Although he probably would find some other group to take its place, like Zionists, Indonesians, Frisians or perhaps East-Europeans, who knows.

My work expresses the idea that no group should be excluded from society. I often say muslims are the new Jews. Meaning that they are now getting the blame for almost everything that goes wrong in Western society, we all know how that ended up for the Jews. Of course the comparison ends there.

I would love to send my painting on a campaign through the country, but for now it can be only seen at my studio during working hours, in the evenings and weekends with appointment only.

All larger detail pictures and the painting itself can be seen together here. I would love it if you could assist me in getting the painting out there, as I feel this is an important image a lot of people need to see. If you feel the same please feel free to share it, post it on your website or contact me for any additional things you might need. I'm looking forward hearing from you!

kind regards, Gerard

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Mystery Tour- Final Puzzle Pieces no. 7 and 8

Puzzle Piece No. 5
click on image for an enlargement

The final pieces of the puzzle. Tomorrow I'll let you guys know what it all meant, it will all make sense then!

kind regards, Gerard





Puzzle Piece No. 5
click on image for an enlargement

Mystery Tour- Puzzle Pieces 5 and 6

Puzzle Piece No. 5
click on image for an enlargement

Puzzle pieces no. 5 and 6, getting close!

kind regards, Gerard



Puzzle Piece No. 5
click on image for an enlargement

Mystery Tour- Puzzle Pieces no. 3 and 4

Puzzle Piece No. 3
click on image for an enlargement

Puzzle pieces no. 3 and 4. You now have half of all the pieces!

kind regards, Gerard



Puzzle Piece No. 4
click on image for an enlargement

Mystery Tour- Puzzle Pieces no. 1 and 2

Puzzle Piece No. 1
click on image for an enlargement

The first 2 pieces of the puzzle. In the next few days I'll post two new pieces each day, there are 8 in total. Monday Feb 28th I'll let you know what this all means.

In the meantime feel free to guess, ask questions, post comments, send emails or whatever you need to do to solve this!

kind regards, Gerard



Puzzle Piece No. 2
click on image for an enlargement

Art Within Art- In the Dark

In the Dark
3 girls sitting on bench in Royal Museum Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

Todays painting is a bit different than my usual 'Art Within Art' paintings. Three girls are sitting on a bench in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium. We see the girls in silhouette enjoying the works of art and each others company. But there must be something very exciting going on just around the corner.

Later today I will be posting something I call the first piece of puzzle. I'm leaving you completely in the dark on what this exactly is, you just have to find out for yourself. It's something like a mystery tour and in a few days it will all be made clear to you!


kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- Blue Sky

Blue Sky
man appreciating blue sky on painting

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

When your own life looks a bit grim and grey, there's always art to bring a little color in your life.

kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- Woman Enjoying Painting

Get Together
woman enjoying a work of art in the Kunsthalle, Hamburg

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

One thing I definitely like about painting museum scenes is the fact that time doesn't seem to exist. What I mean is that past and present come together in just one painting. This is especially made clear when the museum piece has people in it, like todays painting. A giant leap between then and now.

kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- Woman admiring Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema

Front Row
woman admiring The Vintage Festival by Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

From pop art back to Victorian Age painting. The woman on my painting is admiring The Vintage Festival by Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema.

Alma Tadema was born in a small village near my hometown Leeuwarden. At a young age he lived here too, later in his life he became one of the highest paid artists in England. After his death in 1912 he was soon forgotten, but there's something of a revival going on. Last year one of his painting sold at Sotheby's for about 34 million dollars. That's saying something!

kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- More Marylin Monroe portraits by Warhol

More Marilyns
woman admiring portraits Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

More Marilyns! Yesterdays painting of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol inspired me for todays as well. Just as Warhol would have liked it.

kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- Woman admiring portrait Marylin Monroe by Warhol

5 Marilyns
Woman admiring portrait Marylin Monroe by Warhol

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

Not that long ago me and a close friend were enjoying some beers in the pub when the topic of our conversation somehow turned to moviestars. We were discussing the latest movies we thought were an interesting watch.

Soon we were talking about which actors we liked and well, one thing lead to another and I found myself asking him which female actor he thought was the best looking. You know how guys are. Not my friend though.

He gave a very interesting reply which I will not soon forget. He said: 'I can't say, I don't look at women in movies that way. For sure they all are pleasant to the eye, but I don't because they aren't real to me. That woman standing at the bar she's beautiful, she's real.'

kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- Woman In Front Of Edward Hoppers Painting 7am

7am
woman in front of Edward Hoppers painting 7am

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

I think Edward Hopper would have enjoyed the irony of the woman looking in the other direction rather than at his painting 7am, don't you think so?

kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- Guys Admiring Office Girls By Raphael Soyer

Museum Guys
guys admiring Office Girls by Raphael Soyer

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

Two guys standing in a museum, one is listening to his headphones, while the other one is admiring Office Girls, a painting by Russian-born American social realist Raphael Soyer.

My figures a pretty much self-absorbed and you can say the same thing about the women in Soyers painting. Hemmed in by the crowd, the women are shown walking to or from work, not noticing one another. Only my guy and Soyers girl are looking eachother straight into the eyes, but then again one is real and one is painted. Oh wait, both are painted.

When I first read about Raphael Soyer it felt like reading my own artist statement. His themes and subjects are pretty similar to mine, both concentrating on the city-dweller and social issues of our times. His twinbrother Moses and brother Isaac also were excellent painters. I just wish the brothers were known by a larger audience, they definitely deserve it.

kind regards, Gerard

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Art Within Art- Man admiring portrait Whitney by Robert Henri

Whitney
man admiring portrait Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney by Robert Henri

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

A man is admiring a portrait of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney by American realist artist Robert Henri in the Kunsthal in Rotterdam.

Whitney was a patron of the arts in New York and where she later founded the well known Whitney Museum. Robert Henri who made this wonderful portrait was the leader of the Ashcan School, a realist artistic movement that came into prominence in the United States during the early twentieth century.

The group is best known for works portraying scenes of daily life in New York's poorer neighborhoods. I already painted my own urban scenes of daily life when I learned about the Ashcan School. Although my style differs greatly, I think my work would have been a great fit!

kind regards, Gerard

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Hot Rod Volkswagen Beetle- Tiki Madness

Tiki Madness
hot rod volkswagen beetle

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

A good friend asked me to come to a beetle meeting which is quite an experience I can tell you. The beetle on todays painting isn't just any beetle, it's the Tiki Madness!

kind regards, Gerard

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Still Life Of Books- Eyes Shut

Eyes Shut
still life of books

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

It's so much fun making these still life paintings of books. You have to imagine that at first the painting looks pretty awful, just a bunch of different strokes of color right next to each other. It always looks like the painting is going nowhere and you get pretty frustrated with it. But as long as you keep on keeping on suddenly the painting comes together just great. Magic!

kind regards, Gerard

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Still Life Of Books- Fiction

Fiction
still life of books

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

It has been said that a man who doesn't read really isn't any better of than a man who can't read at all.

kind regards, Gerard

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Still Life Of Books- To The Right

To The Right
still life of books

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

When you think you're falling, support might come in different forms or shapes.

kind regards, Gerard

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Still Life Of Art Books- Red Face

Red Face
still life of art books Marc Quinn, Jackson Pollock, Raveel

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

I don't think the Red Face of artist Marc Quinn happened because he was embarrassed or somehow felt ashamed for what he's doing. Why should he when he made a worldfamous statue of Kate Moss.

kind regards, Gerard

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Beatles-Still Life Of Books Paul McCartney And John Lennon

Beatles
still life of books Paul McCartney and John Lennon

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

Paul McCartney and John Lennon reunited again on a bookshelf. Each got his own story to tell behind the cover. Perhaps I shouldn't call this a still life, but still lives, as their music still lives and will continue to do so for many years to come.

kind regards, Gerard

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Prayer- woman squatting down in bookstore

Prayer
woman squatted down with book in bookstore

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

This scene on todays painting looked so serene to me when I saw it, I just had to paint it. I actually thought I heard her say a prayer, but perhaps she was just reading aloud.

kind regards, Gerard

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Non Fiction

Non Fiction
man reading in bookstore

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

For decades TV used to be the most important medium in society, but right now that role is taken over more and more each day by the Internet. If a new medium takes the lead, the other media has to follow.

We see this for example with TV, nowadays it looks like the Internet with the use of texts and popup ads for shows. Some shows even became interactive, a viewer can vote for a certain candidate. It clearly shows the influence of the Internet.

Although I haven't completely figured it out yet, I feel the Internet has changed our reading habits as well. People usually don't stay on a website very long and reading on a screen really isn't that comfortable.

So a good website makes use of short texts and a modern newspaper reflects this use of short texts. In the Netherlands a lot of newspapers resized the paper to a smaller format altogether. That's the influence of the internet too.

I hope this doesn't affect our ability to read long texts too much. I think that's one of the reasons I keep painting readers and bookstores. You know, like, don't forget to pick up a book once in a while.

There are probably more things to point out here, but like I said I haven't figured it out yet. If you think of any please let me know, I'm quite interested in hearing your thoughts on this.

kind regards, Gerard

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Passing A Dark Alley

Passing A Dark Alley
couple passing a dark alley

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

Life can be full of obstacles or even downright dark at times. But every now and then you catch a break, like the couple on the painting who are passing a dark alley without even realizing it. Or perhaps they noticed the dark spot, but experience taught them not to go there. How right they are, staying in the light is way better.

kind regards, Gerard

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Egg Roll

Egg Roll
man waiting for his egg roll

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

Waiting can be a drag, but when you're waiting for your egg roll it truly isn't such a bad thing. Especially when it's cold and it won't be long before you have your warm snack in your hands.

kind regards, Gerard

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Market

Market
woman bying groceries at the market

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

When I visited the market today I saw this woman bying her groceries. In the midst of people she found a quiet spot to get her purse out. The reds, blues and whites made a perfect backdrop for todays painting.

kind regards, Gerard

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Bookies

Bookies
man wondering which book to pick up first

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

Have you ever stood in front of a bookcase and wondered which book to pick up first? There are so many new titles published every week that's hard to keep up. You cannot read them all, so some people just read what's hot in the bestseller list. In other words: they let the list decide which book they should read first.

Funny thing I noticed is when people don't enjoy the book he or she picked, they tend to blame the list for not having the right books. That way you blame something outside yourself which is way better than acknowledging the fact that it really is you who made a wrong choice. A solid way to keep from being depressed I guess.

kind regards, Gerard

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Dummies

Dummies
woman window shopping

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

A woman standing in front of a shop window admiring the clothes for sale. Like me the colors probably made her stop to take a look at what the dummies are wearing this season. I'm glad she did, the painting wouldn't feel complete without her!

kind regards, Gerard

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Pages

Pages
woman flipping through the pages of a book

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2011
SOLD

One of the biggest advantages of reading is that books offer a solution to almost every problem you can think of. Let me rephrase that: there's isn't a problem in the world that somebody didn't write a book about. Judging by her posture and attitude I do think the woman on my painting knows this. You can almost feel her enthusiasm for reading.

kind regards, Gerard

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Still Life Grutte Pier Action Figure

Grutte Pier Action Figure
still life of action figure Grutte Pier

G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
6" x 6" or 15 x 15 cm
2010
Not For Sale

Last night we celebrated the birthday of a close friend of mine. Alexander is extremely creative, I mean that guy can do everything. He can draw, paint, sculpt, build robots, motorbikes, cars and he even makes music. A true uomo universale.

Last year he made an action figure for a comic he had been working on with Richard Bos. The action figure shows the 16th century Frisian freedomfighter Grutte Pier, known for his enormous strength, slaying armies with his sword all by himself. Grutte Pier could carry a horse on his back, that's how huge and strong he was.

When I saw the action figure I thought it would be a great subject for a painting. It's a shame you cannot see the arm moving, such a cool feature. Anyway I thought my painting would make a great birthday gift and it did!

In contrast with last night celebrations another close friend is undergoing surgery today. Life has it ways, but this is quite a rude awakening. My thoughts are going out to him and his family today. I just know everything turns out for the better!

kind regards, Gerard

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