Celebrated in our own country as an artist, now fled and unknown

The journey is long, because the globe is large and there is no point of arrival pinned anywhere. So we spin in our heads. Along the way there are intersections, egg-yellow light bulbs, veil clouds obscure our view, a bird flaps above the water, somewhere a paper hat is bobbing, and in between is an aubergine-colored military prom jacket, the buttons polished.

Dream trip (2021) is a melancholy and impressive painting by the Damascus-born artist Oussama Diab (1977). Impressive because Diab tempts the viewer to discover his painting and the journey he has made layer by layer. But as each layer peels off, it increases the mystery.

Diab is one of the fifteen artists who now exhibit at the exhibition New country new home in Old Amelisweerd. The exhibition is an initiative of the married couple Jaap Versteegh and Joke van Veen who, with their foundation Galatea, which was established in 2018, support artists who have fled and have been granted residence status in the Netherlands. The exhibition is accompanied by a prize of 2,500 euros: the Galatea Art Prize, which will be awarded on October 31.

Form of professionalism

The couple runs an art dealership in Maarssen-Dorp. Joke has a background in the IT sector. Jaap is a former teacher, art historian and artist. Both are gripped by the fate of artists who had to flee and struggle to find a stage for their work in the Netherlands.

‘In their country of origin,’ says Van Veen, ‘these artists were highly regarded. They often followed a professional education, exhibited (such as Diab – ed.) at home and abroad. That disappeared in the Netherlands.”

Every refugee artist can register with the Galatea Foundation, but criteria do apply. “Artists must submit a resume, write a motivation letter and send in at least five photos of works. We do require a certain form of professionalism,” says Van Veen.

In principle, every Galatea artist hangs in the exhibition. Among them are good artists, such as Amjad Hashem, Lujain Nahar and Raafat Ballan, who won the Galatea Prize in 2019. Ahmed Mallah studied medicine in Syria, but went to Sint Joost in Breda in the Netherlands.

Promise for the future

The youngest participant, Noor Issa, wandered from country to country. She does not want to say anything about her biography. She is currently at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. Her abstract work is balanced between color and composition – a promise for the future.

“We respect the fact that Issa does not want to reveal her personal background,” says Van Veen. “She runs the risk that the story about herself becomes more important than her work. And she just wants to focus on that work. They are all artists here. That in the first place. They are new in the Netherlands. And yes, they once fled.”