Voor de Baruch Spinoza expositie "Vision of Spinoza" (Houtsnede / Wood cut) Over dit werk / About this work As a descendant of Marranos, Spinoza understood the tyranny of prejudice and religious fanaticism. He was born in Amsterdam, into a city surrounded by water, where the ships of the Dutch East India Company came and went. I imagine Spinoza flying above the rooftops of Amsterdam, free from the intellectual limits that bound his community, loving the beauty and order of science and logic. In such a flat land, the sky is huge, and the light is great, reflected by water all around, like a huge lens. I like to think that Spinoza knew that eventually the world would catch up with him. "Spinoza and van Leeuwenhoek" (Houtsnede / Wood cut) Over dit werk / About this work One of the great discoveries of Spinoza’s time was made by Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, who was born within a month of Spinoza. Like Spinoza, van Leeuwenhoek was a lens grinder. He created the first microscope and discovered microscopic life while examining a drop of water. I imagine these two great minds, surrounded by water, which van Leeuwenhoek found to be teeming with life at a microscopic level, challenging the orthodox view of life as they knew it. I imagined Spinoza standing (literally) upon the discoveries of van Leeuwenhoek, while embodying a Tree of Knowledge. Over / About Judith    Artist Judith Joseph is based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She uses her love of nature and folklore to explore ideas about environmental and social justice issues in today’s world. She works across media, chiefly woodblock prints, calligraphy, painting and installation. Her conceptual art practice is paired with work as a calligrapher and illustrator, and her specialty is the Ketubah (illuminated Jewish marriage contract). Email    judithstudio@gmail.com Website    Klik hier / Click here Instagram    Klik hier / Click here