Catalogue Humble

Being humble is not the same as lacking confidence. A humble person knows who he is and is open to new insights. And he is not afraid of making a fool of himself.

- Ellen de Bruin in NRC Handelsblad

Some heroes, such as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and even Jesus, achieved fame because they were humble. However, an unusual aspect of being humble is its learning path: it is not an innate quality; everyone can learn it. In an era in which social media and self-promotion seem important, we are specifically encouraged to display our ambitious and vain characteristics, in order to get on in life, to carve out a career.

Would being humble make sense in this day and age, or would you simply be working against your own interests?

In the visual arts, ‘modest’ works are often valued, monochrome tints teach you to seek nuances, humble materials change your perspective. Instead of looking upon artists as visionaries or great geniuses, we could see them as a channel to the world.

Humble exhibits works of art that reflect the significance of being humble: a hair shirt, a piece of art from an anonymous artist, or art composed of simple materials. The exhibition examines the value of being modest and humble.

This is an exhibition which certainly doesn’t have an enormous ego.