SeRIEs ‘On revealing yourself and vulnerability’
Besides being an artist, Fabienne Kootstra is also an equine coach and therapist. In this role, she works extensively with traumatized women. The series ‘On Revealing Yourself and Vulnerability’ is a tribute to these women. Women who say, “It ends with me,” ensuring that trauma is not, or is less, passed on to future generations. Through this series of paintings, she seeks to capture the hope, determination, and strength of these women.
Nudity
(120 x 60 x 4 cm)
Nudity is not only about physical exposure, but above all about emotional openness. The painting reveals the vulnerability that arises when someone no longer hides themselves. At the same time, there is strength in that honesty. The woman appears soft and vulnerable, yet also brave and strong. As if she chooses to be seen exactly as she is.
Through the expressive use of color and the open posture, a tension emerges between shame and liberation, between protection and surrender.
Serenity
(120 x 60 x 4 cm)
Serenity breathes a sense of calm after inner struggle. In the painting, the woman seems to momentarily let go of everything that was heavy. Not because the past has disappeared, but because she has found a moment of silence and acceptance.
The soft transitions in color and the calm presence of the work create an almost meditative atmosphere. A stillness in which softness is not weakness, but rather a form of strength.
Blossoming
(120 x 80 x 4 cm)
Blossoming symbolizes growth and the gradual opening up after a difficult period. The painting captures the moment when vulnerability transforms into resilience, as if the woman carefully dares to take up space again.
The vivid use of color and movement within the work creates a sense of development and hope. Not perfect or without scars, but real, powerful, and in motion.
Stillness
(120 x 60 x 4 cm)
Stillness reveals the power of silence. A silence that is not empty, but filled with feeling, processing, and presence. The woman in the painting appears completely turned inward, as if she is trying to meet herself again without judgment or distraction.
The restrained posture and contrasts in color enhance the feeling of calm and introspection. Within this stillness, space for healing is created.
Reflection
(90 x 60 cm)
Reflection is about self-exploration and the confrontation with what has long remained hidden. The painting captures an intimate moment of awareness, where past, pain, and growth come together.
In the woman’s posture and presence, both vulnerability and strength are contained. The deep colors and expressive forms create a sense of emotional layering. A moment of looking at oneself honestly, confrontationally, and yet with compassion.
Rebirth
(60 x 120 x 4 cm)
Rebirth radiates surrender, protection, exhaustion, and inner strength. The posture is vulnerable, almost as if the woman is making herself small, yet through the powerful use of color she does not appear fragile. Rather, she is a woman who has survived a difficult battle and now finds rest in her own truth.
Through the warm colors and the almost foetal, protective posture, the painting evokes a sense of a new beginning, a rebirth.