ANNE is an art project that brings Anne Frank’s story into the here and now, allowing people to literally carry her story out into the world. In doing so, it creates small, spontaneous moments to connect with her story in public space and make it part of everyday life.
The first edition of ANNE is currently on view at the Anne Frank Zentrum in Berlin.
In september 2026, it will be presented at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Since 2014, I have been involved in various Dutch and German national commemorations. During my two-and-a-half-year artist residencies at the Sachsenhausen and Ravensbrück Memorials, I experienced how art can offer new ways of connecting with the past.
These experiences made me curious about how we can keep stories from the past present in our society and everyday lives in a more accessible and contemporary way. Not only in memorials or on specific days, but also in the places and moments that make up our daily lives: on the street, on public transport, or on the way to work or school.
Through her diary, Anne Frank gives us a deeply human perspective on how war, persecution and genocide unfold. Her words make these subjects tangible and relatable through the thoughts, fears, hopes and experiences of a young woman.
ANNE starts with a hand-printed screen print of Anne Frank’s favourite portrait of herself, printed in contemporary colours: neon pink and neon red. These deliberately vibrant colours bring Anne out of the black and white and into the here and now.
Veronika Nahm, director of the Anne Frank Zentrum in Berlin:
“I believe Anne would have been very happy with this image.”
From here, I developed a simple idea to bring her story into our everyday lives: the ANNE – bag.
A familiar, everyday object that allows people to carry Anne’s image and story with them into the world: on the street, on public transport, or on the way to work or school.
By carrying the bag, Anne’s story can appear in unexpected places and become part of everyday life, inviting a brief, spontaneous moment of reflection and connection with her story in public space.
