Arend van Beelen

At the International Film Festival in Berlin, jury president Wim Wenders sparked controversy, stating that art and artists are “the counterweight to politics, we are the opposite of politics.” He said, artists “have to do the work of people, not the work of politicians.” Any thoughts on this? — RAINER, POTSDAM, GERMANY Dear Rainer, I have known Wim for over forty years, and his response to the question at the Berlinale moved me deeply. It reaffirmed my understanding of him as a passionately principled, thoughtful, and courageous man — a person who cares profoundly about film and the state of the creative world. His words were a caring, gentle, and protective gesture, directed not only at the artistic community but at humanity itself, and despite the predictable pile-on, I suspect that many artists, maybe most, will genuinely appreciate his words. Of course, I can’t speak for Wim, but perhaps, like me, he laments the state of art as it has unfolded into this present moment. Perhaps, as the president of the Berlinale Jury, he despairs over the fate that has befallen other film and literary events. The furore around the Adelaide Writers’ Week was happening while I was on tour in Australia. In an almost cosmic display of stupidity, that entire event was vaporised in a mushroom cloud of cowardice, performative

at all, as Australia’s longest running literary festival collapsed under a mass walkout. Perhaps Wim is trying to save the Berlinale from succumbing to the fate of those festivals that have become little more than a narrowing of the cultural imagination, where the concept of an arts festival as a space for free-ranging and diverse ideas, a place of vitality and originality that encourages disagreement and good faith debate, is being sucked down the sinkhole of a single monolithic ideology — one voice, one cause, one dissent. I do not imagine for a moment that Wim thinks art should ignore the great and persistent injustices of the world. He seems to believe, as I do, that using art to raise awareness of these injustices can be extremely effective, but perhaps he also believes that art is more than the sum of its utility; it is more than a tool or a weapon. Maybe he believes, as I do, that at its core, great art exists purely for its own sake — and that at its most transformative it reveals itself subtly, ambiguously, and curiously; that it is something we approach with awe and wonder, that humbles us whilst also enlarging our hearts, that works its way into our souls and spirits, guiding us towards what is good, beautiful, and true. Art captivates us and imparts a sense of what it means to be human, broadening our understanding of the world and our own place within it — that we have the right to love, laugh, cry, and be thrilled by the world. This is art’s largesse — to remind us that life is worth living.

our souls and spirits, guiding us towards what is good, beautiful, and true. Art captivates us and imparts a sense of what it means to be human, broadening our understanding of the world and our own place within it — that we have the right to love, laugh, cry, and be thrilled by the world. This is art’s largesse — to remind us that life is worth living. I think Wim’s words moved me because they might serve to usher in a fresh appraisal of the cultural space before us, where art reclaims its dynamic nature. Perhaps his words will encourage artists to feel confident expressing how they truly see themselves, in all their radical complexity and diversity, to say, ‘This is what I am. This is how I feel.’ But perhaps Wim meant none of these things. I don’t know. But, whatever his intention, I sensed the concern, gentleness, and care in his response, and its lovely openness alone filled me with a kind of relief, a sense of freedom and sudden potential. I expect, beyond the clamour, many felt the same. Love, Nick

The full collage. Note that a small part about cancellation was unintentionally cut… such is art 🤷‍♂️

This week, #NickCave ‘s Red Hand Files entry touched me more deeply than usual, so I decided to make a collage out of it, which I hung on the wall in my study.

Here comes…

#WritingCommunity #Art

The night is hum In the hours that precede The cables drum To announce the deed Spiders jump And wish to meet Callithump Missus leads

#WritingCommunity ❤️ #poetry & #mrsCleyton

Sing, my little bird Sing the prettiest notes Please, my little bird Please my ears alone Grace, my little bird Grace for this song I wrote And don’t you ever wonder What happens if you don’t

#mrsCleyton #poetry

Preorders are open: www.amazon.com/Mrs-Cleyton-...

supernatural, that mix police procedural with horror and supernatural fiction, this is an easy recommendation. It’s not always a fast-paced thriller; it’s more a atmospheric mystery that rewards careful reading, not to say the plot doesn’t contain surprises aplenty. For fans of authors like Adam Nevill and John Connolly, or True Detective, Child of the Moon is your perfect next read. You can get your copy of Child of the Moon IN PINK: link in comment

Sticker pack with variations on the Biome logo

On a related note, if you want to help us spread the word about Biome, come find me at #RustWeekNL in Utrecht this year!

I will be handing out these lovely stickers 😊

If there are any Jewish readers among my audience, Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness is another recommendation I will gladly share. Also good for those with curiosity towards #Judaism 🫶

Potential #HotTake : If you’re a dad, and you don’t eat your kid’s leftovers there’s something deeply, disturbingly wrong with you…

#Parenting #Dadbods

PS.: If any Christians are following this blog, I can recommend them to listen to @justinberkobien.bsky.social also.

You Must Believe In Yourself Courage is not only about bravery. It's about finding it in yourself to overcome your fear.

Dear followers, as I started my Philosophy of Balance, it was always my intention to move into the domain of morality as well, and today I will gently try to enter this domain…

If you could use some strength to believe in yourself, this post is for you 🫶

arendjr.substack.com/p/you-must-b...

Book cover for Mrs. Cleyton, by Sidney Waerts.

Mrs. Cleyton is up for release on 2 April, 2026 🐾⛓️‍💥

An absolutely terrifying suspense about the insanity of grief…

Preorders for #Kindle are already open and I expect physical preorders as well as other storefronts to open up soon.

Subscribe at aronsilver.com for updates!

#BluePit #mrsCleyton

Brighton tour, March 2026 — 5 years after unleashing the Child of the Moon, a new unchaining is about to commence… Brighton, Sussex, March 24-26 #mrsCleyton

Today is #BluePit !

#mrsCleyton has been looking forward to this day for quite a while, especially since she finished reading #childOfTheMoon

Her unchaining is scheduled for 2 April, 2026 🐾⛓️‍💥

Follow updates here on BlueSky, or sign up on aronsilver.com for special offers.

# The Pendulum of Life

If I open a webshop for the Philosophy of Balance, will it come back to bite me?

philosophyofbalance.com/blog/the-pen...

#Morality #Geopolitics #Philosophy #PhilosophyOfBalance

5 years after unleashing the Child of the Moon 🌕, a new unchaining is about to commence 🐾⛓️‍💥

Find me in Brighton, Sussex, from 24-26 March, 2026, for my pre-release book tour of Mrs. Cleyton.

#mrsCleyton #WritingCommunity

Well, America was nice while the idea lasted. It wasn’t perfect, but progression used to be a hill we could continue to hike up. Now that hill is largely a crater; strip mined and bombed out and those at the top still digging..

# Who Watches the Watchmen?

"The past is not all about antics -- it's about caring for each other."

philosophyofbalance.com/blog/who-wat...

#Hyves #Reminiscing #PhilosophyOfBalance

#WritersCoffeeClub 5 Jan: How do you choose the PoV for a new story?

This one is a tough one, but for Mrs. Cleyton I was lying in the bathtub with a hangover, and I felt it would be a splendid idea to write a terrifying story about a grieving widow. Such a fool I was...

Quid Pro Quo Bu Hao Chi Chinese like to ask their moms whether something tastes nice...

# Quid Pro Quo Bu Hao Chi

"Chinese like to ask their moms whether something tastes nice." (A Cultural Misappropriation of Linguistic Expression…)

substack.com/home/post/p-...

#Mandarin #Love #Philosophy

@inventingreality.bsky.social Hi Rob, I believe I may still be included in one of your starter packs, but I made a dedicated profile for my pen name: @aronsilver.bsky.social

Could you unlist me and put Aron Silver in my place? 😊 Thank you! 🙏

PSA: I have created a dedicated profile for my pen name, Aron Silver: bsky.app/profile/aron...

If you like to follow my writing adventures, please subscribe. I’ll try to reduce cross-posting going forward 😊

A hammer I store in my shed. In the background is a broken plastic sword.

#WritersCoffeeClub 4 Jan: Share a tool used in your writing craft.

I used this hammer to bind the steel wire used in the Christmas edition of Mrs. Cleyton.

Had a lovely workshop today in calendar decoration. Worked with three layers of paper to create a stamp to leave the final imprint on the calendar itself. Absolutely lovely experience, and a great addition for my writing studio 🤍🐯🗓️

#Art #WritingCommunity

Reconciliation I like big words and I cannot deny it...

# Reconciliation

“I like big words and I cannot deny it.”

open.substack.com/pub/arendjr/...

#Philosophy #Love #Mandarin

Thriller Genre Indie Authors Join the conversation

Are you a writer or reader of thrillers? Join these great indie authors who also write and read the genre at the Thriller Genre Indie Authors Starter Pack! If you wish to be included in the starter pack, reply here. #thriller #writingcommunity #authorsky go.bsky.app/3U7UtVP

For my upcoming novel, Mrs. Cleyton, I'm open to British audiobook voice actors. Referrals welcome, under the following conditions:
- Serious applications only with a reliable track record
- Either a single female actor, or a male/female couple that wishes to act together
- No AI

#WriteSky

Many towns in Sussex, South England felt abandoned, as Mrs. Cleyton had skipped them on her yearly visitations. But 2026 is promising to be different...

#amvisiting #ampublishing #WritingCommunity

Follow her on aronsilver.com ...

That’s so kind 😊 You can follow my adventures by signing up to the newsletter on aronsilver.com

Or I’m happy to keep you posted on here, of course!

Redefining “hard copy” 🥵❤️🐦‍🔥

Love historical fiction! 👀

Hand-printed and -cut and -bound the first two copies now, so I’m halfway done with those. Will try and do the other two on the weekend… 🥵

It’s hard work if you’re putting in raw materials such as these…

Hey 😊 Absolutely! I’m publishing a Christmas pre-release of Mrs. Cleyton at the moment, while my editor is still helping me with the retail version for release in 2026 🤭 What are you working on?

If I were to release a novel in 2026, how does it work with trigger warnings?

Do I list them all? E.g.: Emotional abuse, adultery, trauma, religion, animal abuse.

Or may an explicit genre statement be sufficient?

Anyone up for a gander? Asking for my pen name.

#WritingCommunity