Deelstra: ‘Due to Bolsenaro’s climate-destructive policies , the beautiful Brazilian jungle gave way to industrial zones, livestock farming, and palm oil plantations. I couldn’t ignore the images and news feeds. The result was Progress and Prosperity (2020), a series about the effects of economic gain on nature.’

The title references the words on the Brazilian flag. Although Deelstra is tormented by concerns and pessimism, he strives to make this series appear alluring. The artworks are approachable, inviting viewers to engage with them. However, those who carefully absorb the depicted worlds quickly realise that the works are saturated with warnings. This unexpected contrast between childlike optimism and profound darkness is another characteristic element seen in Deelstra’s work.

Deelstra has witnessed the untouched forests as well as the seemingly endless livestock farming and plantations with his own eyes. The precarious relationship between the pristine and the man-made is a theme that the artist enjoys working with. Deelstra: ‘In the Netherlands, I’m confronted daily with the apparent manageability of nature. Nothing grows wild or spontaneously; everything

is premeditated. I find the urge for control fascinating. By using geometric frameworks,

I translate the need for control and break away from spontaneity.’

‘The catastrophic predictions of our policies can be surreal. Now, I’m at a stage in life where I might want to bring children into the world, but like many others, I’m unsure if I should be within this environment. Is this planet becoming increasingly uninhabitable, or will humanity come up with clever ways to escape ecological disasters? Should we, as humans, increase our control, or do the opposite, and let natural processes take their course?