By Azad Karimi
I started painting in 1996 a few weeks after my father passed away. I started with painting on paper. I was working as a civil servant. In 1998 I quit my job and started as a professional painter.
Interview
Dutch Painter Joop Van der Wagt
By Azad Karimi
In Iran, Art for art theory is used to keep artists away from the socio-political space, but the government does spend large sums of money to propagate its ideology through "The Islamic propaganda organization" and "The art field for propaganda Institute".
For example, Mullah's regime spends millions of Dollars on these organizations: The Sooreh Institute or The Arts Center, The Islamic Propaganda Organization, and The Ministry of Islamic Guidance and Culture.
It is interesting that they remove the word culture from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and say: Ministry of Guidance or Guidance Office or in cities they say Guidance!
How do you expect culture to flourish and progress in this poisonous and unhealthy atmosphere, and to create talented artists and writers?
Unfortunately, since the day this petrified and fanatical group came to power in Iran, the category of culture and its constituents such as literature and art have been directed to strange positions instead of progressing and converging with today's civilized world.
I can not say that the mullahs take Iranian culture to the era of the cave because this is unfair to the era of cave-dwelling. You know caves all over the world that have paintings that are several thousand years old.
I recently read an article that unfortunately the Museum of Contemporary Art of Iran, which had exquisite and precious paintings, has suffered a lot of damage. Many of the paintings are in poor condition and have been damaged by moisture and dust, and there is no one to take care of this.
In many cases, these damages and destructions are intentional, such as paintings related to the Queen Farah of Iran who is in exile.
It is very strange that ideological beliefs may so divert the course of a process.
But the main catastrophe occurs when the existential originality of a phenomenon is transformed and destroyed, that is, it becomes empty of its nature. For example, a few years ago, one of the presidents of Iran hung a Palestinian Keffiyeh in the style of Yasser Arafat around the neck of a statue of the Achaemenid era, and then said that Cyrus the Great was also a member of the Basij militia!
This Basij organization was created by Khamenei a few years ago and is a huge machine that consumes the money of the country and the people of Iran.
Fortunately, this issue was ridiculed by the Iranian people, otherwise, we would have had to see more bizarre scenes of these cultural initiatives of the Iranian leaders.
However, unfortunately, the cultural situation in Iran is very dire and unfortunate, and this situation will continue as long as this corrupt, backward, thieving, and mafia regime is in place.
You look at the UN vote a few days ago to condemn Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The Islamic regime of Iran and the Ba'athist regime of Syria and three other unfortunate countries like these voted against this resolution!
And it is strange that Mullah Ali, the leader of Tehran's 350 thieves, gave a speech a few days ago and considered Putin's aggression as a result of NATO expansion! But what about Crimea and South Ossetia? They did not want to join NATO!
Alibaba and the 40 thieves of Baghdad should not be confused with Mullah Ali and the 350 thieves of Tehran. Because Alibaba was the enemy of forty thieves in Baghdad, but Mullah Ali himself is the boss of the 350 thieves in Tehran.
I must say that ideology and theocracy result in the emergence of bullying and tyrannical rulers who continue to rule by assassination, intimidation, restriction of the Internet, and censorship of the press, books, and art. It is not a matter of their godliness, but they have a problem with theism or atheism of others.
Take a look at Philips company's brilliant track record in the Netherlands. The Country of Mr. Joop:
The Philips Company was founded in 1891, by Dutch-Jewish entrepreneur Gerard Philips and his father Frederik Philips.
I have personally seen and had Philips products around me and in several countries where I have lived, from Phonograph records to televisions, cassettes, and radios.
Now you come and tell this to the stupid leaders of Iran, they quickly say that modernism and its welfare phenomena are due to colonialism and Zionism and imperialism and capitalism!
But these mullahs and their affiliated militias buy the most expensive objects and equipment in Europe and the United States and Australia and Canada and give them also as gifts to their affiliated international terrorists , but they tell the Iranian people to wear a piece of cloth around their waists like the Houthis of Yemen! Like the prophets, practice austerity and contentment and put stones on your stomach if you are hungry. And on the other hand, they say that a hungry stomach does not have faith!
Can anyone tell us what is going on in Iran?
Of course, I know what happens, but we should cry over this bitter humor and then laugh out loud, otherwise, we will explode with sorrow and hatred.
Believe me, if it were not for these artists, writers, and cultural people, we would have to go back to the tree lifestyle period and eat the leaves and branches of the trees like Orangutan. Because this is the mission of the mullahs of Iran and according to their cannibal leader Khomeini, this kind of mullah culture should be exported to the world.
In the end, I wish success and happiness to my dear artist and good friend Joop.
Thank you!
Østland- Norway
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1- Please present yourself (Name, education, Civil status and...)
. My name is Joop van der Wagt, my artist name is Joop96. I was born in the Netherlands and lives also there. I have 3 sons, married three times, and have right now a lovely girlfriend from the Czech Republic. After school, Life itself is my main education.
2- What is your artistic specialize?
. I haven't an artistic specialize, I think you can say it's figurative art... I have just my fantasy. I painted on walls, vases, and some furniture but love painting on paper and canvas the most.
3- When and how did you become interested in this fields of art?
. In my youth, I loved drawing and one day I started dreaming about painting colorful paintings. It takes about 4 years till I made my first painting in 1996. That's why my artist's name is Joop96.
4- Who was your motivator?
. I didn't have a motivator. I had no interest in art but felt the need to make art. I knew Picasso, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt but for example, I never heard of Keith Haring. Right now he and Picasso are great motivators for me. Not only their art but also how they lived.
5- What was your parent’s reaction?
. My father died before I started with my art and my mother was proud but didn't know anything about art.
6-Please tell us when started you such as a professional painter?
. I started painting in 1996 a few weeks after my father passed away. I started with painting on paper. I was working as a civil servant. In 1998 I quit my job and started as a professional painter.
7-Tell us Please: Do you see a special connect between Painting and culture?
. Yes, paintings were from the beginning expressions of life. Every kind of art is part of the culture. Culture is a part of social life and without culture is life boring.
8- Are you thankful and happy because of your activities as a painter?
. I'm happy with my life and my talent for making art and I am grateful for what life offers me and take it with both hands, sometimes doing nothing.
9- Why do some Painting become immortal?
. Most art that is totally new generally becomes immortal. The often special life of great artists themselves is also linked to this immortal art.
10-Can you explain about painting logice?
. Life offers many expressions of emotions. Crying, anger and love are the so-called mental expressions, but to materialize these expressions one can use painting, writing, making music, drama, and film. But there is also painting without logic, without thinking. Here is creativity from a deep level very important, the need of making art. The unknown is the most beautiful source of art.
11- I would like to ask you about painting in our life. Can you tell us about that?
. I can only speak about painting in my life, how others think about it or share art in their life is unknown to me. Art is a matter of feelings of beautiful or not... You can see or hear the feelings of others, but you cannot experience them yourself.
12- How do you see the view for art, painting, the future of culture?
. The same as in the past, art, and culture are always going on. Sometimes some circumstances give problems for artists and culture but at least art will never die.
13- Can you become one part of the artistic-cultural movement for motivation in youth or new generation in your country and so than?
. No, to me my art is purely an expression of my style of life. I have no intention of motivating youth or anyone else to make art. If that happens, it's great, but there are plenty of art academies where novice artists are motivated or not.
14- How can you help our world become a better place to live?
. Just be kind to others, spread some love, and make happy paintings.
15- Have you more word to say or suggestion for our readers?
. The source of life is love, find this energy, love, and transparency within yourself and share it with everyone you meet.
https://joop96art.com/?fbclid=IwAR1jefPW943DkYU7cTPb9BtmORguS4k8FmD59AxgQhsS6kCMUwlpL0ry8PM
