Extended Family is an ode to human complexity, from an artist with a significant background in philosophy. Everyone who sends painter Aäron Willem a portrait picture is accepted into his Extended Family. The result is an endless series of portraits, but ignoring the basic principles of the genre. Instead of depicting the recognisable face of just one person, Aäron Willem presents the concept of ‘open identity’. Aäron Willem’s work usually starts with the human form, mainly faces, but often crosses over into the abstract. Thoughts, observations, expression and coincidence demand their place. He regards himself as an artist of synthesis and integrates as much as possible into his work in a hopeless attempt to capture all of life. The artist view on the concepts 'identity' and 'personality' has been coloured by African philosophy and the ideas of Spinoza, Picasso, Thomas Hirschhorn and many others.


Text in English and Dutch.