Mantelzorg by I am Eelco

Mantelzorg by I am Eelco was commissioned by Mantelfoon, a place founded to provide informal caregivers with additional support in Rotterdam. To mark the Day of the Informal Caregiver in 2023, this organization took this moment to officially present this piece of art to the public, with the presence of Eelco himself and Councilor Faouzi Achbar. The artist created a horizontal design in bright colors, primarily using purple, yellow, blue, and brown. His figurative and illustrative style here aims to convey the struggle of caregivers. Through the gray character in the middle and even the melting face, he symbolizes the effort and loneliness that come with dedicating one’s life to others. Fortunately, the Mantelfoon has been created to simplify the efforts of informal caregivers.

About the artist:

Eelco van den Berg, a Dutch artist, captures attention with his psychedelic landscapes, distinct color palette, and unique figurative drawing style. He was born in Uden, in the Netherlands’ Brabant region. The artist describes his younger version as rebellious and creative. He never stood out in school. His uninterested behavior in class never made teachers believe he would become the incredible artist he is nowadays. Starting by creating graffiti in 86, first tagging with the name Illy-B and after with the name Virus. Nowadays, he doesn’t do graffiti anymore (only street art). Still, hip-hop, graffiti, and skateboarding culture have always inspired him greatly. His mom also influenced him in his art by taking him to hippie parties where the imagery of psychedelic rock was very present. 

Eelco belonged to the last age group to have mandatory military service. He remembers it as a time when he learned a lot, mainly how to handle discipline. After that, he did a bachelor’s degree in illustration from William De Kooning. While working as an illustrator and doing graffiti at the same time, he understood in 2013 at an art fair in Berlin that the letters were blocking his artistry. That led him to join the figurative forms from illustration to painting murals. The result is the current style: geometric, colorful, animal-inspired murals. Another key point is a bold interplay of contrasting colors, motifs, outlines, and illustrative elements that blend influences from surrealism and pop art.