Every artist describes his own life
His thought, his emotions, his abilities, consciously or unconsciously expressed in the work of art. It can describe heights and depths, love and hatred, joy and sadness, strength and weakness, inspiration and emptiness, knowledge and ignorance. A work of art can give joy, can inspire, can move, can reveal the greatness of life, can surprise with its expertise.

You can be prepared to spend your last penny to own a work of art; there are works of art which people from other continents travel to see, as though they have a magical attraction.

There are also works of art which make you feel hopeless because of their emptiness, irritate you because of the tedium which they communicate, produce doubts about the skill of the artist, and give rise to questions such as: Does art no longer start where the abilities of most people stop?

So many artists
So many ideas, so many emotions, so many skills and so many works, and there are just as many or even more opinions on what is art or what it should be.

However many different visions there are, Art is certainly timeless, it crosses many cultures and ultimately, the answer to the question 'What is Art supposed to be?' cannot be anything other than a personal answer. It has a great deal, perhaps everything, to do with what the spectator possesses in terms of knowledge and empathy.

The nature of the work
In her work, Marijke A. Deege clearly shows her involvement in what is in front of her, and her capacity for empathy often results in moving works of art which transport the viewer into a poetic world of emotion. Marijke has good powers of observation and a strong sense of humour; the way in which she just manages to avoid becoming literary in her humorous works is admirable.

Rhythm has an important place in the composition of her work, and despite their dimensions, many pieces have an intimate quality.

With the Funeral Awards, the organisers aim to be a bridge between professionals and the general public by addressing the fear of death and making it discussable. The nomination takes into consideration quality, innovative elements in funeral proceedings and the way the bereaved are approached.

The annual prize is awarded to local authorities, funeral directors and artists.

Read the full Curriculum Vitae Marijke A. Deege.