PHILIP AKKERMAN
Self-Portrait 2016, No. 3
28 June – 28 September, 2019
Until the moment of writing these words, I have painted 4524 self-portraits.
They represent the possibilities of my character.
Pick one out and you look at one of these numerous possibilities.
One single painting says nothing about Philip Akkerman.
The totality does.
In one painting I might fake, lie, cheat, corrupt, flatter, try to impress, hide… In the totality, there is no hiding.
The totality is who I am.
Painters who destroy paintings are cowards.
They are ashamed of themselves. (And one should be.)
Painting 2016 No. 3 is one of the finest I ever did.
One of my best days.
My bad days are funny.
The all too many mediocre days, I hesitate to show you.
Philip Akkerman, July, 2020
Philip Akkerman was born in 1957 in Vaassen, The Netherlands. He studied at Ateliers 63 in Haarlem from 1979 until 1981. In 1981 he started painting self-portraits. He hasn’t stopped. He lives and works in The Hague.
Self-portrait 2016, No.3 is now the subject of a limited edition book published by A-M-G5 and including poetry specially commissioned from Donny O’Rourke.