Today’s society focuses mainly on the healthy and the strong. Although a large part of the population uses long term medication or experiences chronic pain this is almost never discussed; it is a taboo.
In order to draw as much attention as possible to the issue of pain management as human right and to overcome this taboo, IFHHRO teamed up with artist Bert Feddema who recently created a series of paintings on pain, pain medication and pain management.
A.R.
(Bert) Feddema (06-12-1966), graduated in 1993 from the Minerva art School in Groningen. After graduation he became fascinated by science and the world of multinationals. Since, he developed and founded his own so-called multinational High Tech Brain Technologies (HTBT). In the name of this multinational he has created different works which are signed HTBT or HTBT-Pharma.
Within the arts we talk a lot about the individual experience, but never about the experience of being ill or in pain. It is important to overcome this taboo and make the subject of pain a topic that can be freely discussed. A few years ago Bert became ill himself and has since experienced chronic pain. Besides, he was drawn into the medical world, became part of a medical cycle of sickness, hospitalisation and long-term medication. He realised that being chronically ill and experiencing pain can influence one’s entire life: it changes a persons’ self-image and it raises many new questions.
Who do you tell that you are sick?
When do you tell people you are sick?
How about finding a new job?
All these questions though, often remain unanswered because of the taboo.
In order to open these issues to discussion, Bert created a self –portrait series of paintings entitled ‘Look at me - Look into me’. The recurring theme of the series is the experience of pain which becomes tangible and real in every work through scratches made with a pencil.
As part of the cooperation with IFHHRO, Bert Feddema's work will be
shown at different IFHHRO events.
Viceversa, IFHHRO will be present
during the different expositions of the ‘Look at me - Look into me’ series. 20% of every sale will be donated directly to IFHHRO.
We'll keep you informed about all future events.
http://ifhhro.org/
