Slaghuis is an autobiographical project composed of two chapters. The title, Slaghuis—an Afrikaans word meaning « butchery »—functions both literally and metaphorically. It refers to a tavern once known by that name, a place steeped in violence, both in memory and presence. In this body of work, the artist reclaims that traumatic space, transforming it into a studio—a site of confrontation, catharsis, and creation.

In a relentless pursuit of relief and resolution, the artist used physical engagement with image-making to process internal turmoil. Through this exertion, anger and pain were laid bare. The tavern’s customers left their imprint on the space, just as the space marked the artist. In return, the artist marked the images, perpetuating a cycle of impact and response—resisting erasure while simultaneously wrestling with it.

The work is suspended between the discomfort of remembering and the enduring echo of Ali Cobby Eckermann’s words: « don’t forget ‘em story, night time tell ‘em to the kids, keep every story live. » For the artist, storytelling becomes a vehicle for continual renewal.

Slaghuis I stands as a confrontation—with the physical space, with memory, and with the emotional residue left behind. Slaghuis II deepens the investigation, turning toward meaning. It reflects a desire to be transformed by the space’s violence, to search for significance within it, and ultimately, to find a way through—to the other side.