The Crime
Still Life Painting of Crime Books
including National Tax Guide
G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
20 x 20" or 50 x 50 cm
2011
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Just an ordinary bookshelf filled with books about crime? Well, not quite.
When you take a closer look you'll notice that the orange book in the center is our Belasting Almanak, the Dutch guideline for taxes.
Late december our government decided to raise taxes for art from 6% to a staggering 19%. Incredibly enough it became law on january 1 this year, leaving the whole Dutch artworld wondering what on earth happened.
As a protest against this new tax law I placed this book conveniently between books about crime, because to me that's where it really belongs.
When you do the math it's an price increase of 12%. going directly to the government. A government which also cuts dramatically on support for the arts in general.
I emphasized the price increase by leaving 12% of the painting unpainted. The brown strip on the right is unpainted wood. The red painted sticker says:'Now 12% extra!' All of a sudden our guideline for taxes is written by one A. Baba.
On the left are books about artists Cellini and Caravaggio, both known for art of course, but also for their, well, temperament natures, meaning both killed people. Cellini even bragged about his liscense to kill from the pope in his autobiography My Life.
I signed the painting on the book right next to Carravagio's. Not because I turned criminal too by avoiding paying taxes, but just because I'm an artist too of course!
The Crime can be seen at upcoming groupshow Icons and Common Man
from april 23 - june 5 at Gallery Roos Van Tudor in Leeuwarden.
kind regards, Gerard
