Ik ben Jo!

Vincent's art

Jo is 28 when her husband Theo dies, leaving her with their young son and an apartment full of artworks by Theo’s brother, the now famous artist Vincent van Gogh. In addition to being a single mother, Jo dedicates the rest of her life to raising awareness of Vincent’s art.

Jo as an example for present-day women

I Am Jo! runs alongside the exhibition Choosing Vincent. It is a contemporary, social epilogue to the exhibition: Choosing Vincent introduces Jo’s inspirational life story, while I Am Jo! shows how her legacy lives on in present-day Amsterdam.

Creative development programme

I Am Jo! presents the work resulting from a creative development programme in which 100 women from five Amsterdam city districts explored their talent, creativity and identity, inspired by themes from Jo’s life: perseverance, family ties and entrepreneurship. A striking digital installation brings I Am Jo! to life, showcasing the participants’ entire creative journey. Multiple screens show portraits, stories and personal developments, while a selection of physical artworks emphasises the diversity and individuality of the women who took part.

Which talent hides in you?

This presentation offers an introduction to Jo and the participants of I Am Jo!, but also invites you to actively join in. Creative (writing) assignments will help you discover which of Jo’s qualities hide in you. How could you, following in the footsteps of the women in the project, take your talents to the next level?

Collaboration

The I Am Jo! project is a collaboration between the Van Gogh Museum and the Samen Sterk met Werk women’s network, consisting of initiatives from several Amsterdam city districts: Vrouw en Vaart (Nieuw-West), Buurvrouwennetwerk Gaasperdam (Zuid-Oost), Stichting Malak (Noord), Stichting Prachtvrouw (Oost) and Stichting Vrouwen Vooruit (West).

750 years of Amsterdam

I Am Jo! is part of celebrations marking Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. The results of the project will be presented in different Amsterdam city districts this summer, in collaboration with the Amsterdam Public Library.