Death, chess, and Max Von Sydow.

‘Metamorphosis’

“She murmured a few words in an old, ancient tongue that only she and the animals understood. The forest critters answered. Like a moth to a flame serpents of all kinds gathered around her, caressing her pale body with their scaly coal coloured skin. She collapsed on the ground and started shaking. She nodded her head rapidly, her oily blonde hair bounced like pieces of rope. Her eyes turned dark and the snakes covering her bottom torso connected into a single mass. It has begun.”

An excerpt of a story I’m currrently working on, inspired by an old Dutch folktale. I remember myself reading a beautiful book about Icelandic folklore and it made me realise how fairly disappointed I was with the lack of inspiring Dutch folklore, especially compared to our Northern neighbour countries. The thought made me bitter and I told myself that Dutch people are too sober for “fairytale” stories. But are they? I decided to dig a little deeper into our history and explore the macabre and secret tales from my curious little country. I spent days at the library devouring books and asked friends to help me with my research.

This story {originally from the Northern parts of Holland} is one of my favorites. It tells about an old lady who led a secluded life in the forest and was feared by many for being “different”. She had the ability to turn herself into a young woman or any forest animal and therefore she was accused of witchcraft. She had a strong affinity for animals and was mainly concerned with the well-being of the plant and animal world. She was little concerned with the affairs of men. This story was so intriguing and emotional for me to read that I felt the need to express all of these stories into something visual. I’m not sure where this project will lead me, but I hope you guys will enjoy these stories as much as I do.

Government Service Center, Boston, Massachusetts, 1964-72

Mutant penguins maquette from Del Toro’s AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS before production was cancelled…