Tisja & Ziarah Janssen

Sisters Ziarah and Tisja Janssen, born in Curaçao and currently living in Amsterdam, believe in the power of diversity. By combining each others passion they want to speak up and start to create a difference in a world where equality remains a question mark.
Together Tisja and Ziarah created a concept that they call The Sisters. With Tisja’s art direction and concepting skills and Ziarah’s painting skills, they create beautiful work on the topic of diversity, black lives and anti-racism. 

Ziarah Janssen (1990) graduated from the institute for performing arts in Amsterdam in 2011. She is an actress and a visual artist. Ziarah has always felt the need to express herself through painting. It is a way for her to communicate her feelings without going into direct dialogue. She tells her stories and those of others through her outspoken and expressive art. Her paintings grab your attention and captivate you. Each painting tells its own story.

Tisja Janssen (1995) graduated from Fontys Academy for Creative Industries in 2020. For the past three years, Tisja has worked as a content creator, art director and creative concept developer. She calls herself a visual thinker with a passion for expression, diversity and the extraordinary.
Having previously worked in the fashion industry, she recalls being told many times that “black just does not sell”. She was fed up hearing the same thing day in and day out and decided it was time to make a change. She gets most of her inspiration from Nina Simone who, together with Lorraine Hansberry, preached “Young, Gifted and Black” into the world. 

The role of art has changed over time. How would you describe your role as a modern day artist?

The role of art and also what it means to be an artist has changed so much overtime. The definitions grew and became more intersected.
Previously being an artist meant having an art degree and following certain rules and techniques. Today artists are more than just their craft and are celebrated for having a unique style and steering away from old principles. 

That’s how we created Sisters. We combined the mind of a conceptual artist and the mind of a visual artist into one. The times we live in right now call for art to be interdisciplinary.

There is no clear definition of what it means to be an artist. We think that’s the beauty of being one.

What kind of art do you have hanging on your walls?

Ziarah: Art by our mom and by my friend Anick de Rouw. Also a lot of black and white photography. My favorite photograph on my wall is by Anton Corbijn. I also have some art that I bought while traveling the world.

Tisja : Art made by my mom who is also an artist and art by my talented friend Jannina Stucker.

What is the most unexpected source of inspiration for you?

Ziarah: I would say rain and silence. Normally I will use music or my feelings or the news as inspiration. But sometimes just being quiet is a good start to create.

Tisja: The water, the sea. The sea’s silence, its flow and the fact that there seems to be no ending. It reminds me that, as an artist, there is no limit. You can create whatever you want. Be whatever you want.

What does your ideal working day look like? What time of the day do you feel most creative?

Ziarah: Wake up, drink some tea, paint, eat breakfast, do yoga or pilates, catch up with Tisja, paint or create something else, have a nice dinner, relax! I am the most creative in the morning, or when I’m feeling really relaxed at night.

Tisja: Wake up, drink some water, eat breakfast, take a morning walk. Meeting with ZIZI, share ideas and thoughts, create art, go to the gym, create more art, eat dinner, relax.

With what kind of art did you fill your notebooks as a child?

Ziarah: I would draw a lot or do dress ups. If I look at my pictures when I was I child never had normal clothes on. Always performing for my sister brother and Parents.

Tisja: As a child I would always create little art books full of pictures that I cut out of magazines. I would give a model

a different mouth or nose. I used gold paint and velvet fabrics.

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