MELATI FLOWERS, RICE FIELDS AND BATIK PAINTING TECHNIQUE ...

Artwork created for Blind Walls Gallery.

Blind Walls Gallery: "Marije Maria graduated from AKV I St. Joost (St. Joost School of Art & Design) in Breda in 2018. She now illustrates for various newspapers and magazines and often works for festivals. Her paintings can be found in Zagreb, Ghent, Barcelona, Colombia, among other places.

Traveling is an important source of inspiration for illustrator Marije Maria. Now that this is not possible for a while (because of COVID-19), the artist got her inspiration from stories of the Indonesian Museum and the Arjati Foundation. Together with them she made the design for the mural, that remembers the former Dutch East Indies.

The design shows several recognizable elements of Indonesia: the typical rice fields and the batik painting technique on fabric. Marije also painted the melati. The Indonesian jasmine is the commemorative symbol during the national commemoration on August 15. The flower stands for respect, commitment and compassion. The painting was festively unveiled on August 15, 2020 in collaboration with Brabant Remembers and Stichting Arjati and is part of the 'Brabant Remembers' project. 'Brabant Remembers' tells personal stories about the Second World War: big or small, about mobilization, resistance, collaboration or liberation. Seventy-five stories revolving around a life-changing choice."