Dutch artist pays off student debt with tapestry about his debt

An artist who was carrying student debt of almost 46,000 euros can now pay off much of it thanks to a tapestry he made about the life of a student in debt. Mart Veldhuis was allowed to hang work in the Dordrechts Museum, which announced that the five-meter wide piece was sold for 45,879.40 euros, the same amount he owes.

The price was non-negotiable. Its price tag was equal to his student debt as a protest against the loan system that Veldhuis had to use. However, he cannot yet fully pay off his debt, because he will have to pay tax on the sale. However, he is very happy.

"This is of course what I had hoped for, but when I heard the news I was really speechless. It still feels very unreal," he said.

The tapestry has the title, Eigen Schuld, can be translated either as "Own Debt," but also as "Own Fault." It was his graduation project from applied sciences arts university, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, where he studied illustration. Among the elements depicted is a Dutch lion holding a dangerous sword. The artist used that to express his feeling that he still owed the State a great deal.

The museum identified the buyers as art dealers Joke van Veen, 75, and Jaap Versteegh, 69. "We bought the tapestry in the first place because we think it's a good work of art," said Versteegh. "It is innovative and visually strong. In addition, the social theme of the work - the consequences of student debt and the social loan system - strongly appeals to us."

The couple, who also have a foundation to support refugee artists in the Netherlands, did not buy Eigen Schuld for themselves, and have given it to the museum on long-term loan. It can be seen in the Dordrechts Museum until June 25, at which point it will be loaned out to De Balie in Amsterdam, Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle and Museum JAN in Amstelveen.

Veldhuis said he was especially happy that these people bought the tapestry, and was pleased his work will remain on public display. He said he could have gotten even more money from others, but felt it was important to keep the price fixed as the amount of his debt in protest.