Photo's/Art
May-May is trying to pass on God's messages in everything she does. Through the photos she takes with her mobile phone, she tries to capture the world as God reveals it to her. May-May started photographing during her psychosis in 2013. She takes photos of God's light or asks others to photograph her accompanied by that light. There is often a story behind the photos. A friend who graduated from the Rietveld Academy told her, her photos can be categorized as 'art brut.' He organized her first exhibition for her in The Hague, together with a teacher from the Royal Academy of Arts and with help of another curator. Because Christ/God encourages her, May-May also refers to her photos as 'spiritual art'. Her photos are sometimes testimonies such as the photo 'Carried by the White Light' and 'God's light from heaven.'
God is with us. He is sending us peace and love. He wants us to achieve world peace and end hunger. To take care of vulnerable people, animals and our planet. To work towards: A World in Which All Children Can Play.
2013 - present
Gods Light
May-May made the photo Carried by the White Light in 2013, when she was in foced hospitalization. You can see this photo and read more about this, at the end of this page. Several years later, May-May continuous to see the Light of God. She makes photos of it or asks others to photograph her with the light. The second photo was made after May-May wanted to contribute to end the war in Yemen. She thought that she was too small to do anything meaningful. Nevertheless, she heared the voice of Christ saying: I am with you. Minutes later the sky turned pink.
The fourth photo below 'Cherish life' is made by May-May's father at the beach. It is special to May-May because of the beautiful sunlight and the man at the background who is holding his child. We all need to care for the children. May-May believes that God wants to see: A World in Which All Children Can Play.
There is a story behind the second photo below on the left. The photo is called "Gods light from heaven". May-May met a homeless man in a park. He asked her for a gift. When she gave him a gift so that he couldn't only have a meal but also a place to sleep, he was very grateful. He smiled and said: God bless you. Minutes later this light appeared out of heaven.
Photo 4 was made after May-May called a man who was depressed. As if God wanted to help the man in need.
The rainbow symbols the connection with God and everything that lives, the second photo below on the left is called 'A rainbow bridge of peace to the world'.
'Reflection in the water', the third photo on the left, is made by a friend of May-May who completed Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. He is also the one who told May-May that her photo's are 'art brut'. May-May and her friend where amazed by God's light as they walked onto the heath. The friend of May-May took the initiative when making this photo.
The photo on the right below 'A mother in divine light' was made after the Holy Mass in the English parish at the St Vitus Church. The women received a white rose because it was the day before Mother's day. When she cycled home God's light was very beautiful. May-May asked someone who passed by to make a photo of her with the light.
Bringing a message of Peace
First photo below: "Bringing a message of Peace." March 16th 2024, after a peace manifestation for Gaza Israel at Dam Square
Second photo: "May peace come soon in Ukraine." Just after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. First Day of Easter 2022. Both photos are made by May-May's father.
Third photo: "May there come peace all over the world soon. It is 2025, instead of making more advanced weapons to kill each other, we need to create world peace. That is real progress, that is love. In addition, it is time, we care for Mother Earth. The insects are rapidly decreasing, trees are being cut down, our oceans are in a bad state. We really need to care for each other and Mother Earth. "
The beauty of nature
11 December 2021- 8 January 2022
May-May was once again hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital for a month due to her psychosis in 2021. During her walks in Laapersveld park, she took photos with her mobile phone of the swan family and the birds in the park. The swans got used to her and let her come close to their family. Sometimes it seemed as if they posed in front of the camera of May-May's mobile phone. May-May felt as if God was showing her the beauty of nature to help her heal and to empower their joint message - and the message of many others - to care for nature and to facilitate world peace. May we see soon: A World in Which All Children Can Play.
Continous (no time frame)
Cherish Life
These photos are a tribute to Life.
2020 - continous
God's light and God's home, although God is everywhere, especially also in nature
Forced Hospitalization 2013 - 2014
God showed May-May the world through his eyes when she was psychotic and in forced hospitalization. The title of the first photo is 'Carried by the White Light'. The white light reminded May-May of the song with the same name, see below for a more detailed description. The rose which Christ showed to May-May was a sign of beauty and hope, in the darkness of the patio of the closed department of the hospital see below for a more detailed description of the rose. The Sint Vituskerk was hidden behind the fence, but she could catch a glimpse of it when May-May was in the patio of the closed ward. The goose outside near the park seemed to announce the coming of a new world.
In 2009 I was in forced hospitalization because of my psychosis. I was suffering and couldn't talk with anyone anyore, not even with my loved ones. One evening, I met God, he said: You can call me Christ. We talked the whole night. In the morning I heared a young lady praying the Lords prayer. Then I felt it was real, that I had encountered God. The next day the music therapist brought three CD's with him. One CD was the song "White Light". It symbolised my encounter with Christ, and I danced on it. But, after I received forced medication, I didn 't feel Christ anymore. And I thought this encounter probably didnt'really happen.
Then, in 2013, I was in forced hospitalization again. Again, Christ supported me. There were also ghosts/spirits trying to enter me. One day, in my psychosis, I make a photo and see this ray of white light. I had the feeling that Christ supported me. That I was carried by the white light, like in the song White Light. I heared that song after my first meeting with Christ. Then I asked prove if God really exists, and this is what I get now. (See The book Hier ben ik, p. 120).
The rose that Christ showed me when I was involuntarily admitted
I walk through the courtyard garden and look through the uncovered upper part of the fence to see the Sint Vituskerk.
‘Dear Christ, help me please,’ I murmur.
I love you, it will be alright. Just look around you.
‘Thank you dear Christ, thank you.’
I look straight ahead of me. Between the green ivy growing along the fence, I see a beautiful red rose. The flower is directly in the light of the autumn sun. A red rose! The symbol of love! And also the symbol of my political party. I take a picture of it. I observe that even in the innermost depths of a psychiatric hospital, where I have been admitted against my will, it’s possible to find something so beautiful. I am going to get out of here someday. I will be better and the world too. Peace is coming. I pick up my phone and post the photo of the rose on my Twitter account with the text: I have been kissed by a rose... She is so beautiful.
(The above passage is from my book *Here I Am*, page p.93, boek Hier ben ik, p. 87)
See for more photos of May-May's forced hospitalization in 2013-2014, and meeting with God the website of Psychosevrienden. Please note that the format of the photo's on this website differs from the original format.