Stage of being

de Suzanne Swarts, Barbara Bos

Stage of Being'--after the painting by Robert Zandvliet--shows us how, over time, artists have depicted human beings with all of their emotions and instincts. More than 40 artworks in different media encourage us to reflect on who we are, our relationships to others and how we will be remembered long after we are gone.0We live in a world of progress: we know more and are capable of more, we live longer than ever before; maybe one day we will even achieve immortality. At the same time, we humans struggle with feelings of emptiness, loneliness and fear. Once, religion and ideology provided guidance and assuaged our doubts. Nowadays, we rely on self-help books, doctors, philosophers and coaches--but above all, on ourselves.0Artists in particular dare to face down the fundamental questions of existence. In fact: the very essence of art might be found in diffusing that existential, human fear. Art can hold up a mirror to mankind. This mirror is sometimes quite direct, raw and confrontational. And sometimes indirect, enshrouded in layers of meaning. Exhibition: Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, The Netherlands (09.12.2017-13.05.2018).