Bitter Sweet Domestication

Late 2016

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Spic and Span

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Mother’s Little Helper MIXED MEDIA ON RAG PAPER 76 by 106cm (1/10) The Idiot Box MIXED MEDIA ON RAG PAPER 76cm by 106cm (1 of 10)
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The strange case of Moansburg and Mata Hari

For many years, there was the persistent rumour that Moansburg had kept a photo of
Mata Hari in his wallet since childhood and had regularly presented it as his Mother
when questioned on his heritage. With a young Moansburg, no doubt traumatized and
in denial regarding his Mother’s descent into the murky world of nightclub prostitution,
it was a particularly credible possibility.

Due to the extremely delicate nature of the question (Moansburg’s Mother was tragical-
ly killed in Africa in 1982), it had remained unanswered for many years. Then one sum-
mer day in 2001, soon after Moansburg had opened his first screen print studio in The
Hague, a foolish and naive assistant thought it wise to rifle through Moansburg’s wallet.

The irony runs deeper than usual on this one. Mata Hari, famously executed in October
1917 for allegedly spying for Germany, the bulk of her guilt attributed to her fraudulent
claims of being of a Javanese Princess, when she was actually of Dutch heritage.

But the real revelation was that Moansburg had spent nearly 40 years presenting a pho-
to of someone he thought was in denial of their heritage because he was in denial of
his own heritage, when in reality he had been representing his Mother with a withered
and torn photo of Anita Berber, the notorious Weimar Era actress and dancer.

Berber, famous for her brazen bisexuality and rampant drug use, was found dead in bed
in 1928, aged 29, surrounded by assortment of morphine syringes and bowls filled with
chloroform and ether mixed with white rose petals.

Moansburg’s assistant was later sacked.

The Dutch Spy

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 Jeckll and Hyde

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Rubber Soul MIXED MEDIA ON RAG PAPER 76cm by 106cm (1 of 10) High Maintenance MIXED MEDIA ON RAG PAPER 76 by 106cm (1of10)
The Circus Collection
Early 2016

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Last Dance For Mr Barnum Easy Does It Greatest Show On Earth What Goes Around
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Nothing to Declare
Late 2015

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Mariage Mortale I MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS Mariage Mortale II MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS
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Idiots Unlimited MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS 135cm by 210cm
The Experimental Years
2012-2015
Introduction
John Lennon’s death hit Moansburg hard. He was never a sycophantic follower of
anyone, but loved to admire from a distance. But he probably loved The Rolling
Stones equally, and refused to be drawn into the clichéd Stones vs. Beatles debate.

Over many years, Moansburg has honed and shaped his artistic production prac-
tices, from the heady days of his experimental period to the first (proper) collec-
tion ‘Nothing to Declare’, a sublime retort to the ubiquitous and somewhat surreal
question at Customs “Anything to Declare?”. The once proud chimpanzee, formerly
entertaining hordes of people at the Circus, latterly relegated to the bargain buck-
et as a part-time animal model for Hallmark Cards, suggesting that our disposable
labour supply also extends to the animal world too.

The Circus Collection was the obvious choice for the second collection, the style
and vernacular a massive influence on Moansburg in his formative years, culminat-
ing in him joining the Bartabas Horse Circus in Paris in 1981. It is also a visual hom-
age to Barnum and Bailey AKA “The Greatest Show On Earth”, who have recently
announced their transition to animal-free circuses.

The latest collection ‘Bitter Sweet Domestication’, a visual odyssey directly into
Moanburg’s incredible trajectory, his critical reflections punctuating significant
moments in his life. His early pining for an archetypal nuclear family, in sharp con-
trast to the reality of an absentee father and a household held together on a shoe-
string budget by his loving Mother’s extra-curricula activities.

“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we’re
being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I’m liable to be
put away as insane for expressing that. That’s what’s insane about it.”
John Lennon 6th June 1968

I read the news today MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS 190cm by 135cm

Hannah MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS Zarathustra MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS

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1953: Moansburg born in Arnham, Holland

1959: Moansburg starts primary school

1972: Enrollment in The Royal Art Academy in Arnham

1973: Leaves the Art Academy due to lack of focus

1981: Goes to Paris to join the Bartabas Horse Circus

1982: Return to Holland on hearing of his Mother’s tragic death

1984-2000: Opens his infamous club in the Spijkerkwartier area

2001: Moansburg opens screen print studio in a military bunker in The Hague
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