Introduction to Mathilda van Zanten

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Intro

I first met Mathilda in 1997.  I enjoy her unique art, talking with this exciting woman, and have also been to some of her exhibitions.  As I have not known her for a long time, I would like to give you an introduction from a newspaper article about her (Brabants Dagblad, 8.Apr.1987), when she was still painting and working in fashion: ... Mathilda van Zanten, from Hungarian origin, won a fashion design competition with her own creation in Den Bosch.  Already from a very young age Mathilda began drawing, painting, and designing fashion.  As a 16 year old she won a countrywide drawing competion in Budapest ...

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... During her high school years she received private lessons from two Hungarian artists (Lóránd Sárkány and Emil Vén).  After this she wanted to enter the Art Academy in Budapest, but her eye doctor advised her against it.  Her eyes were bad and she had to try to reduce the stress on them as much as possible.  For many years she buried her creative talents and worked in a representative position (she spent some time in Hungarian television and radio).  However, in spite of her caution, her eyesight continued to deteriorate, and she has been subsequently advised that she has an incurable condition, where she may become blind ... ... After a year of confusion and depression because of this news, she took the decision to bring her ideas into the open.  She started working very hard, and took as her source of her inspiration, Love, Dissapointment, Hate, Fear and Hope.  Even though she is visually handicapped, she will stay a complete person that wants to achieve much ... ... With her paintings she would like to show her inner reflections on the world she sees.  Even though she is going blind, she still can maintain the vision in her head of what she wants to create, and has the ability to still work with this impairment...

When I asked her about her painting and her choice of style, she told me that; "... My main intention is to capture my feelings and thoughts in my painting, rather than physical objects (landscapes, people, etc).  I have tried several syles in order to find my own style, such as impressionism (with Turner's work as a starting style), and surrealism through to expressionism. I also experimented with different materials and techniques, such as oil, crayon, pastel, graphite, airbrush, and watercolour.  Now I am capable of showing my feelings, where I use a realistic core, on a emotive background ... ... what I find important is that the negative picture of death, sadness, and fear, should stay aesthetically harmonious and beautiful.  In my work I always try to create something personal, in the context of emotions or feelings.  But I want to use my art as a message, encouraging people to express their feelings in their own lives, not to repress them…

…since around 1995, as my eyesight has been deteriorating more, I am trying to paint in order to give back what I can see in my new world.  Often I believe people who cannot see well, can really ‘see’ with an increased focus on the really important things.  This is what I am trying to do...” Since she started, Mathilda has been working on her art as often as possible, giving exhibitions when she can, and also works commissioning pieces on request.  In the past she has also worked in fashion, sculpture, and other art forms, but painting remains her true love. Tom Lewis, August 2001.

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