Barbara Broekman

Tribute to life en On Victorian and Oriental Women

Barbara Broekman creates monumental works of art based on textile patterns and techniques. In her work, she explores the relationship between art, textiles and universal human themes such as love, loss, oppression and conflict.

The Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital is closely intertwined with Barbara's personal history: her mother stayed in the hospital several times and eventually breathed her last breath there. The wall-filling work 'Tribute to life' is a celebration of the beauty of human existence in all its complexity. The work zooms in and out, as it were, on the smallest and largest elements of our earthly existence. Microscopic shots of healthy and diseased body cells are interwoven with images of crowds and satellite images of the earth. The different images are combined into an organic and repetitive composition.

The work consists of about 1000 images that Broekman collected from books, magazines, encyclopedias and the internet. These were then cut out by hand, sorted by color and arranged in patterns. By getting closer to the colorful and dynamic image, small portraits can be detected. These are people - dear to the artist - who have been affected by cancer. With this almost hallucinatory work, Broekman appeals to universal emotions. Broekman: 'We are so insignificant in this universe, but so rich to be part of it for a while. In the moments when we come face to face with our own mortality, we experience life to the fullest.

The work brings together research and loving care in a poignant way. Antoni van Leeuwenhoek was the first to discover that all organisms consist of cells and 'animals'. For Broekman, his books from the 17th century with drawings caused a shock of recognition. As an artist who regularly works with textiles, she saw clear similarities in the intricate structures of microscopic drawings with the techniques and patterns that underlie textiles.

Barbara Broekman (1955) - Tribute to life, 2007
This work is located in the hall near the library.

Barbara Broekman (1955) - On Victorian and Oriental Women, no. 3
This work is located in the hall of the Radiotherapy department.

Energy

This work by Barbara Broekman shines from all sides. Energy is optimistic in nature. The wavy lines and reflective materials give this impressive work a dynamic and lively character. Everything seems to be in motion.

Source: Barbara Broekman