We are not poor

We are not poor (2022) by Berend Strik makes a declarative statement about economic and social identity — a refusal of the label "poor" that simultaneously acknowledges the category's existence.

Strik frequently engages with themes of class, economic status, and social mobility. His photographs of domestic interiors, clothing, and everyday objects often carry class connotations — what we have, what we display, how we live.

The declaration "We are not poor" is both a protest and a coping mechanism — an assertion of dignity in the face of material hardship. The plural "we" suggests collective identity — a family, a community, a class — rather than individual self-perception.

Strik's textile additions — which add warmth, color, and tactile richness to images — could be seen as a visual equivalent of the statement: poverty of materials does not mean poverty of spirit or aesthetic richness.

Sources: Galerie Fons Welters