This work called "The Dark Valley - The Gorge" by Alyina Zaidi, is the first piece of art I ever bought. When I saw it, I knew immediately that this would be my first purchase. The vibrant use of color and the sense of movement really appealed to me.

I discovered this work when I started my own gallery. After representing a few other artists, we signed on Alyina. I knew immediately that I wanted to buy a work by her and even reserved it before the exhibition. This turned out to be great luck, because all her works sold out and her career kept growing. It felt really great! When I met her to pick up the artwork, we talked for over two hours. She is an incredible person. Buying art actually felt like a very personal experience. Especially since she told me the story behind the artwork: the piece refers to the Himalayas where she hiked with her grandfather. It is a representation of a gorge in the mountain range that he could not climb because of his old age. This gorge kept appearing in Alyina's dreams and therefore she decided to paint it

In my small apartment in the center of Utrecht this is the only spot that fits the work. It works really well because the work is situated in the middle of the apartment. The painting filles the space, both in color and size.