Mieke Hessels

Mieke Hessels (1957)

Graduated Royal Art Academy The Hague in 2020

There is a personal touch in everything I make often connected to the dark side of things

I am familiar with the poetry and violence in life

I have a weak spot for the marginalized

Global politics and activism of women and minority communities are of interest for me

‘’The drama of my life is not that I am damaged. The drama of my life is that people expect me to keep up with the undamaged all the time. So here we are, a group of fragiles and trigger-sensitive friends. They let me curse a lot followed by their sweet, sweet laughter therapy.‘’

Evidence Based

I thank the Dutch taxpayer for paying all the facilities I frequented
throughout my life such as jail, rehab, emergency rooms, crisis care,
clinics, social benefits, homeless shelters, psychiatrists etc. etc.
These were all for free for me.

I learned how to bond.

I decided to become a good person.
I decided to make all the right choices to get as much of a life as everybody else.
It did hurt and I had to be braver than I was by nature.
I did almost everything right.
I was successful in my niche and I provided a lot of people in the help industry from a salary.
I think a lot of taxpayers hate me but luckily I don’t know that.
I never pay taxes.
In the Netherlands alone, mental health care costs run into the millions.
Treating the consequences of early childhood traumatization and sexual abuse is an industry in the world.

The academic world, among others, is eagerly searching for
cost-saving, effective, ‘evidence-based’ therapies for people like me.
I would have preferred if some money had gone to prevention

I learned how to love.

So thank you for paying.

Mieke Hessels