De Rotterdammer #15

"Cascade" by Grace Against the Machine

"This drawing is of the statue "Cascade" by Atelier Van Lieshout and located at Beurs. The statue is a shaky stack of oil barrels, with human figures that hang off and try to climb a symbolic ladder. The maker, Joep van Lieshout, describes the statue as an unstable representation of a collapsing economy. For me, the statue is symbolic of our society's interdependence on oil, a substance that has fuelled global economic growth and climate catastrophe. By being Europe's largest port, Rotterdam has branded itself the industrial heart of the Netherlands, pumping trickle-down capitalism through the veins of the nation. The statue stands tall in the most commercial part of Rotterdam and confronts us when we need it the most."

Grace against the Machine, also known as Grace Paranjape, is an illustrator and print artist. After living in Mumbai and San Francisco, Grace has made Rotterdam her home since 2017. When she is not drawing, Grace develops innovation projects that accelerate the transition towards a renewable energy system.

IG: @grace.againstthemachine

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High quality MC silk 250 g/m² paper, printed in Rotterdam.

Each artwork is printed on demand: please allow 1-5 working days.

For pick-ups in Rotterdam Centrum use the code RDAMPICKUP when checking out.