In my youth I read the work of the Portuguese writer and poet Pessoa.

Pessoa divided himself into four separate personalities, each with its own biography and voice. Fascinated I absorbed what I read and, only much later, appreciated its implications.

At that time I became intrigued by Greek mythology or, to be more precise, the myths began to be interested in me'.

Metamorphosis became a central theme in my work. In his 'Metamorphoses' the Latin poet Ovid describes the transformation of people into animals, trees or rocks. These themes became interwoven with my paintings.

In 1995 I started working with five women with Dissociated Identity Disorder. In the drawing and painting sessions I followed them in their transformations. It was a process in which creation, empathy and commentary formed a constellation which Itself was constantlvychanging. From being the 'observer' I found myself becoming the `observed' and then again the ‘observer'. The way in which these women manifested their different ego states was not strange to me. Working with them I became aware of something from the psychology of the ancients (mythology, polytheism, pantheism) manifesting itself in modern times.

The women recognised the veracity and meaningfulness of the resultant drawings and paintings and this period of mutual insight and understanding developed into a longterm commitment over the next six years.

Three of my later exhibitions resulted directly from this work;

• November 1995 at Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam.
  Joint exhibition of my 24 illustrations and cover for a new book, 'De Stille Terreur', and the launch and signing of the book by the Author, Lis Bijnsdorp
  
• September 1995 at Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam.
  Exhibition of 16 of my portraits of Lis Bijnsdorp
  
• Dec 2000 at Amsterdam Art Centre
  Exhibition 'Wie Kykt Wordt Gezíen' (The Observer Observerd)
  

Frederik Beerbaum, September 2004, Aljezur.