Vrijheid 1962

Anton Heyboer made Vrijheid, which translates to 'Freedom', sometime in the 20th century using pen and ink on paper. Heyboer's process here is transparent; he embraces the physical act of artmaking. What strikes me most is the use of circles containing groups of figures. The figures themselves are rendered with a kind of raw simplicity, almost like pictograms, but they are full of emotion. They're connected, yet isolated, like cells in a larger organism. Then the writing on the page adds another layer, like a personal diary entry made visible. The relationship between the marks and the surface is like a conversation, with each element answering back to the other. It reminds me of the work of Cy Twombly, where the act of mark-making becomes a form of storytelling. Ultimately, it's about the journey, not the destination. This piece invites us to see that art can be a form of freedom, a space to explore, question, and express the complexities of being human.