Passengers on a Great White Ship

Passengers on a Great White Ship: The Endless Comic of Pieter Jansens

For over 30 years, Pieter Jansens has been meticulously creating his comic “Passagiers op een Groot Wit Schip” (“Passengers on a Great White Ship”), capturing scenes of humor and surrealism. Despite the comic’s charm, the artist has no intention of publishing his work, content to continue in solitude, projecting another 20 years until completion. This lifelong dedication, entirely for himself, raises questions about the purpose of art, the relationship between artist and audience, and the space for uncelebrated work in a world obsessed with exposure. Critics have largely dismissed his pieces, perhaps uneasy with art that so stubbornly resists an audience.

Pieter Jansens, “Passagiers op een Groot Wit Schip”, ongoing since 1994. Ink on paper. Dimensions vary. Museum of Modern Art, Department of Rejected Artists. ©️ Pieter Jansens. Photos by Jean Chapeau.

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