# Jan De Zutter

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**Jan De Zutter** (born 14 June 1962) is a Belgian writer, journalist, political official and artist. He has been a journalist for *[De Morgen](/source/De_Morgen)* and written several books about [neopaganism](/source/Modern_paganism), which he practices. He has worked for the [social democratic](/source/Social_democracy) party [Vooruit](/source/Vooruit_(political_party)) in the [European Parliament](/source/European_Parliament). After suffering a [burnout](/source/Occupational_burnout), he began to make [pastels](/source/Pastel) which he has exhibited since 2021.

## Early life and education

Jan De Zutter was born in [Mortsel](/source/Mortsel), [Antwerp Province](/source/Antwerp_Province), on 14 June 1962. He studied art history and archeology at [Ghent University](/source/Ghent_University) and obtained an *[aggregaat](/source/Aggregaat)*. He did post-graduate studies in journalism at the [University of Antwerp](/source/University_of_Antwerp).[1] He took evening classes in drawing and painting.[2]

## Journalism and writing

De Zutter has worked as a journalist, writing for *[De Morgen](/source/De_Morgen)* and other newspapers. He has written multiple books about the [neopagan](/source/Modern_paganism) religion [Wicca](/source/Wicca). His book *Heidenen voor het blok* (2000, lit. 'Pagans for the block') is about neopagans within the Belgian [far-right](/source/Far-right_politics) party [Vlaams Blok](/source/Vlaams_Blok). As prominent examples, the book names the [senator](/source/Senate_(Belgium)) [Wim Verreycken](/source/Wim_Verreycken), vice chairman [Roeland Raes](/source/Roeland_Raes), [representatives](/source/Chamber_of_Representatives_(Belgium)) [Francis Van den Eynde](/source/Francis_Van_den_Eynde) and [John Spinnewyn](/source/John_Spinnewyn), and the municipal councilor Ralf van den Hautte. De Zutter argues that the situation is similar in other European countries and credits right-wing pagans with making [environmentalism](/source/Environmentalism) a more prominent feature of far-right milieus.[3]

## Politics

Through his engagement in the [social democratic](/source/Social_democracy) party [Vooruit](/source/Vooruit_(political_party)) (known as the Socialistische Partij Anders until 2021), De Zutter began to work for the politician [Steve Stevaert](/source/Steve_Stevaert),[4] for whom he has [ghostwritten](/source/Ghostwriter) books.[5] He became a political official for Vooruit in the [European Parliament](/source/European_Parliament), where he has served as the party's spokesman.[4] He has been a parliamentary assistant to [Kathleen Van Brempt](/source/Kathleen_Van_Brempt).[6]

## Art

De Zutter exhibited colour drawings and [acrylic](/source/Acrylic_paint) paintings during his student years but abandoned art to focus on his career as a journalist.[2] After suffering a [burnout](/source/Occupational_burnout), he took up drawing again in 2018[4] and held an exhibition in 2019.[7] Shortly before the outbreak of the [COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Belgium) he bought a set of [pastel](/source/Pastel) sticks by mistake. He tried them out, became fascinated by the medium and held solo exhibitions of his pastels in 2021 and 2022.[4][6] He describes himself as a "non-narrative realist" and says his pictures are about the "miracle of the moment".[2] He names the Ghent artist Michel Buylen as an influence[4] and has made his own interpretations of landscape paintings by [George Inness](/source/George_Inness) and [James McNeill Whistler](/source/James_McNeill_Whistler).[6]

## Religious views

De Zutter grew up as an [agnostic](/source/Agnosticism), but rejected that as spiritually and aesthetically limiting in his early 20s. He was initiated into [Freemasonry](/source/Freemasonry) and explored various neopagan and [Afro-Caribbean religions](/source/African_diaspora_religions). He underwent initiation in a Wicca [coven](/source/Coven) and in the "ritual family" of a Cuban [Babalawo](/source/Babalawo).[1] He describes himself as a "liberal-religious omnivore" who is at home in pagan practices.[1]

## Selected publications

De Zutter has written the following books.[1]

- *De schaduw van de maan: moderne hekserij in Europa*, Hadewijch, 1994
- *Abracadabra: lexicon van de moderne hekserij*, Hadewijch, 1997
- *Heidenen voor het blok: radicaal-rechts en het nieuwe heidendom*, Houtekiet, 2000
- *Eko Eko, een halve eeuw wicca*, Houtekiet, 2003

## References

1. ["Jan De Zutter"](https://www.antwerpfvg.org/academisch-corps/jan-de-zutter.html) (in Dutch). FVG Antwerp. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. Truyts, Philippe (18 June 2021). ["Hoe de lockdown en pastels het leven van Jan De Zutter veranderden: 'Ik zoek het wonder van het moment'"](https://www.hln.be/antwerpen/hoe-de-lockdown-en-pastels-het-leven-van-jan-de-zutter-veranderden-ik-zoek-het-wonder-van-het-moment~aeee7770/) (in Dutch). *[Het Laatste Nieuws](/source/Het_Laatste_Nieuws)*. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. bvb (17 September 2000). ["Journalist ontdekt nieuwe heidenen in Vlaams Blok"](https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf17092000_023) (in Dutch). *[De Standaard](/source/De_Standaard)*. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. Carpentier, Nathalie (13 July 2021). ["'Ik was boos op de wereld. Daar wilde ik van af'"](https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20210712_97525535) (in Dutch). *[De Standaard](/source/De_Standaard)*. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. Decaestecker, Brecht (22 May 2005). ["Wie zijn de politieke speechschrijvers in Vlaanderen? Wat doen ze? Wat drijft hen?"](https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/gref1lqb) (in Dutch). *[Het Nieuwsblad](/source/Het_Nieuwsblad)*. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. Truyts, Philippe (19 September 2022). ["Jan De Zutter legt de tijd stil in zijn pastels: 'Ik teken elke dag om met de werkelijkheid om te kunnen gaan'"](https://www.hln.be/antwerpen/jan-de-zutter-legt-de-tijd-stil-in-zijn-pastels-ik-teken-elke-dag-om-met-de-werkelijkheid-om-te-kunnen-gaan~a92776b5/) (in Dutch). *[Het Laatste Nieuws](/source/Het_Laatste_Nieuws)*. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. Vanbelle, Annelies (21 May 2019). ["Jan De Zutter, tekenen als zenmeditatie"](https://www.theartcouch.be/belgische-kunstenaars/jan-de-zutter-tekenen-als-zenmeditatie/) (in Dutch). *TheArtCouch*. Retrieved 31 December 2023.

## Further reading

- Van Campenhout, Hanne (2 March 2015). ["'Ik ben actief in een heksencoven' \[interview met Jan De Zutter - Deel I\]"](https://kifkif.be/cnt/artikel/ik-ben-actief-een-heksencoven-interview-met-jan-de-zutter-deel-i-617) (in Dutch). [Kif Kif](/source/Kif_Kif). Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- Van Campenhout, Hanne (5 March 2015). ["Geschiedenis en ontwikkeling tot wereldreligie | 'Het basisidee is gelijkheid' \[interview met Jan De Zutter - Deel II\]"](https://kifkif.be/cnt/artikel/geschiedenis-en-ontwikkeling-tot-wereldreligie-het-basisidee-gelijkheid-interview-met) (in Dutch). [Kif Kif](/source/Kif_Kif). Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- Van Campenhout, Hanne (11 March 2015). ["Rituelen in de moderne hekserij of wicca \[Interview met Jan De Zutter - Deel III\]"](https://kifkif.be/cnt/artikel/rituelen-de-moderne-hekserij-wicca-interview-met-jan-de-zutter-deel-iii-599) (in Dutch). [Kif Kif](/source/Kif_Kif). Retrieved 31 December 2023.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jan De Zutter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_De_Zutter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_De_Zutter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.